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Poll

Who do you agree with more?

Luis Bunuel70%70% - 12
Friedrich Nietzsche29%29% - 5
Total: 17
2007-02-13 22:07:59
Smithereener
Member
+138|6743|California
So I got a practice essay topic with two quotes:

Luis Bunuel - An Unspeakable Betrayal wrote:

Life without memory is no life at all, just as an intelligence without the possibility of expression is not really an intelligence. Our memory is our coherence, our reason, our feeling, even our action. Without it, we are nothing.

Friedrich Nietzsche - Maxims wrote:

Many a man fails to become a thinker for the sole reason that his memory is too good.
The question is "Is memory as central as Bunuel believes or does it merely hold us back?"

For me, I'm inclined to agree with Nietzsche. Mainly because memories do tend to restrict. For example, if one has a memory of a death of a family member by a certain race, the memory affects that person's view on that certain race.

Furthermore, I believe that memories may narrow the range of what someone can or is willing to learn. A memory of pain from doing a certain act may restrict the person from trying to do that certain act again.

I'd try and write some more, but I just lost my train of thought, so I'll end it here.

I'm curious as to what others think about this.
2007-02-13 23:22:33
BVC
Member
+325|7123
I don't think Nietzsche got it right.  I'm more of the opinion that our inability to properly manage our memories is what causes us problems.

Last edited by Pubic (2007-02-14 01:59:56)

2007-02-14 01:04:51
Elamdri
The New Johnnie Cochran
+134|7074|Peoria
What is the point of thought without memory? If you can't store a thought, then it is meaningless.
2007-02-14 05:25:50
oug
Calmer than you are.
+380|6946|Πάϊ
I'm not aware of Nietzsche's position on the matter, I only just read the OP (which doesn't really explain it much...)

Either ways, I'm a Bunuel fan on this matter. I think that our memory utterly defines our character, how we would act on any given moment, essentially who we are.
ƒ³
2007-02-14 16:39:20
Smithereener
Member
+138|6743|California

oug wrote:

I'm not aware of Nietzsche's position on the matter, I only just read the OP (which doesn't really explain it much...)
Sorry about that, I was somewhat tired at the time and the essay prompt only lists that info.

I think topal63 pretty much sums up what the essay topic creators were trying to contrast. What I got out of what Nietzsche's quote was that man and people get caught up in what they know that that is the only thing that they rely on. For instance, many Asian/Eastern cultures revere their elders, more so than many Western cultures. However, as a result many Asian kids don't try and challenge their parent's authority, even if they believe the parents are wrong. What Nietzsche wanted was people to break out of those mentalities and broaden one's capacity to learn things. A person who has been exposed to propaganda for a good portion of a lifetime can't really imagine anything other than what they have been exposed to because the propaganda has been engrained inside his head (memory), so in this case, memory is a hindrance.

But like Elamdri said, there is no reason to think if one can't store that knowledge into their brain. I feel that memories are what gives a person an identity and are therefore important. (I mean, you always see those TV programs that show a person with amnesia not knowing who he is)

I think topal also mentioned two "types" of memories : Knowledge, and personal memories. That's another reason I didn't like this topic too much, but I suppose they meant memories in general. So basically, its one of those "choose the lesser of two evils" type of things.

I would love to write about how both perspectives have its merits and faults, but the essay prompt states that you may only choose one or the other.
2007-02-14 17:56:34
Turquoise
O Canada
+1,596|6832|North Carolina
I like Nietzsche a lot, but Bunuel's got this one.

Without memory, nothing can be learned, and nothing is worth thinking about.

Speaking of the importance of memory, "Memento" is an awesome movie that addresses that subject in a profound way....

Last edited by Turquoise (2007-02-14 17:57:03)

2007-02-15 07:07:44
Vilham
Say wat!?
+580|7193|UK
Its not that simple.

Perfect memory could be a great flaw to some. They might remember some guy they saw years ago who punched them at school and might go to get revenge.

No memory obviously is a retarded idea.

Its a mid point as I believe humans have that is ideal.
2007-02-15 07:23:09
TheDarkRaven
ATG's First Disciple
+263|7051|Birmingham, UK
Somebody had to post this...



The Day After Tomorrow

Jeremy: Friedrich Nietzsche? We can't burn that! He's one of the most important thinkers in 19th Century!
Elsa: Please! Nietzsche was a chauvinist pig who was in love with his sister.
Jeremy: He was not a chauvinist pig!
Elsa: But he was in love with his sister.
Brian Parks: Uh, excuse me, guys? Yeah, we got a whole section on tax laws down here we can burn.



Nevertheless, I voted for Nietzsche! I've seen too many people broken by memories to see the past destroy futures. Man starts again in mindset all too often in life, and thus the first comment (although valid on many layers) loses some of its initially deep meaning.

 

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