After listening to Howard Stern’s radio show this morning, I was reminded that our brains filter information constantly! Our brains are wired in such a way that we purge information on a non-stop basis.
As a teacher, I help people learn to expand their memory – however, I must admit that I rarely can remember peoples’ names after my events.
The reason is the same as the reason why savants can remember every detail they experience – while showing an inability to display basic social skills. If we do not filter out some of the information that bombards us on a constant basis, our brains are likely to start sputtering. They are not built to permanently file away every detail of all the nonsensical information we are exposed to on a given day.
Stern mentioned on his SiriusXM Satellite Radio show that he often forgets having had a particular guest on his radio show. Memory experts such as myself would hypothesize that it’s due to having a work life that’s separated from a busy social life and home life — and the need for the brain to process each life’s details. Since finished shows are no longer important to him – and they’re on tape, logged and indexed by a staff of employees — Stern’s brain has adapted, learning to filter out the details of the hundreds of guests he has interviewed on his radio show.
For more memory secrets, check out www.scottxavier.com and read my hints on how to craft a super memory!
