Memory Changers

Memory Changers

The Indian education system is often credited (or blamed) for learning by the rote. Children with sharp memory do have a clear advantage over others and dyslexic children tend to suffer in such a system. Memory is the complex ability of the brain to store information and retrieve it. Remembering or forgetting would depend on the perceived importance of the information and accordingly stored in memory. It is not like the 0, 1 binary system because we sometimes remember and sometimes the information is on the tip of the tongue, yet evasive.  So if we look at it from the angle of massaging or exercising the brain, learning by the rote does have its advantages. In fact since Vedic times, in absence of resources, the knowledge was passed on to the generations though the guru- shishya (teacher- disciple) tradition of shrutis (listening) and smritis (remembering).

However with changing times, the references keep changing. Before the metric system when the smaller unit of rupee was annas and  measures were in waar, sher etc.  our parents had memorized tables of fractions called pavki(1/4) , nimki (1/2). Counting machines were absent and so they could total up pages and pages of numbers through sheer memory. Our time saw the metric system making life somewhat simpler with recitation of tables during twilight prayers. Soon the space was overtaken by calculators and if a parent insisted the child to memorize tables, the idea was looked upon as either obsolete or treacherous.

Children grew up with newer memorizing skills like mnemonics, mind mapping, riddles, puzzles and many other such techniques. Scarce state resources for higher education in fields of medicine, engineering, management resulted in fierce  competition raising the benchmark of scores. Like the perfect 10 of the Romanian gymnast, Nadia Comaneci, a parent would not settle for anything less than perfect 100 in math. Memory enhancing supplements were introduced and parents would not leave a single stone unturned to help the child achieve the goals. Children excelled in memorizing entire books.  It’s not that it happened in every home. Yet the number was quite large and alarming.

Sooner the side effects in form of stress and suicides became apparent and the new age babies were allowed an environment to grow as per their aptitude and capacity rather than parental force. Recently I found that children are actively being trained in calculation through the abacus or Vedic math – sort of going back to basics.

We are now in the age of Google where records, facts, figures are all available at the click of the button. We want to know something, we Google it .Note that ‘to google’ is a new verb added to the English dictionary.

Earlier we could so easily remember bank accounts and phone numbers. With 15 digit numbers for bank accounts and 10 digit cell phone numbers coupled with phone  or computer memory that takes care of these  aspects, slowly memorizing this also became a thing of the past.

In fact it is so much ingrained in us that when we talk of memory development, we associate it with children while memory loss is associated with ageing. Now think of the baby boomers that have now crossed their sixties. Over the years, once out of school, the need for memorizing recedes. Retirement brings with it a complacent calm.  No doubt, the capacity of the brain is almost unlimited, yet its activity needs to be nurtured. It could be crosswords, Sudoku, kakuro, spellathon and mindbenders. It could be creative pursuits, performing arts .Just as we go to a gym to keep the body in good shape, the brain needs to be actively exercised all through to avoid atrophy.

 This article is not an attempt into the science of brain development but rather an observation of how the advancing technology has made the need of memorizing less important. In doing so, are we losing out on an important activity of the brain? Evolution resulted in human being losing his tail. So the fear.

But there is  respite against the rusting of the brain. Technology has brought with it a new age requirement of passwords. If we store them, it is a security risk. Hence memorizing a plethora of passwords for various applications is the need of the day. Taking care of the aspect of  nurturing the brain.  So my dear, no fear – just relax.

Anagha Hunnurkar

September 15, 2013