Do our memories make experiences seem better than they were?

[Elite]

When you think back to certain times of your life, you will get that feeling when you remember a great experience or period of living. This feeling tells you that life in those times was amazing but on reflection were things really as great as your mind tells you? Sure they were good times but from a personal viewpoint my memory rose tints everything to the extreme.

[hamstrung]

Elite, meet nostalgia.

 

Nostalgia, this is Elite.

[Elite]

Hi nostalgia. I think me and you are going to get along. If not, I will remember that we did.

[Faustus]

I think a lot of people do it with school (me included). Everybody only seems to remember the funny and good 10% of it, when the other 90% was largely a steaming pile of bollocks.

[Section_31]

When you think back to certain times of your life, you will get that feeling when you remember a great experience or period of living. This feeling tells you that life in those times was amazing but on reflection were things really as great as your mind tells you? Sure they were good times but from a personal viewpoint my memory rose tints everything to the extreme.

 

Interesting point.

 

I'm not sure my memory puts a particular slant on anything, although obviously if the memory contains a dead relative then more often than not there'll be positve feelings involved because I miss them.

 

Childhood memories tend to be positive as they remind you of a time when life was relatively stress free. Looking back, early childhood for me seemed simple but extremely boring, I was never very good at being a kid. I remember trying to impress upon the local bully my plans for a mini-submarine based on something I'd seen on last of the summer wine, I'd even arranged to have my nan and mum club together for a scuba diver's Oxygen tank.

[Stu Monty]

Saturday was one of the best days I've ever had. Won the league on goal difference with a massive battling performance and then went out on the lash. It's fresh in my mind and I'm telling you now, there's no way nostalgia can make it any better over time.

 

Sport is awesome.

[Ginny]

I always get 'Nostalgic' with memories of my ex-bird. I seem to focus on the good times rather than the times she was driving me nuts

[Scott_M]

I remember 2003 as being shit as it was.

 

I remember 2005 being awesome as it was.

[Newport]

I think a lot of people do it with school (me included). Everybody only seems to remember the funny and good 10% of it, when the other 90% was largely a steaming pile of bollocks.

 

Probably because the last year is always the best at school.

[cochyn]

My memory tells me every ex-girlfriend I had was a stunner. Reality -and photography- reliably tell me some of them were hounds.

[Mav]

One of my favourite writers (Steven Moffat) came up with a great line to sum this issue up. He said 'Don't you wish you could be nostalgic at the time'