Joshua Foer: Using Memory to Prolong Your (Perceived) Life

Complete video at: http://fora.tv/2011/03/14/Joshua_Foer_Moonwalking_with_Einstein

"Monotony collapses time. Novelty unfolds it," reads Joshua Foer from his book, Moonwalking With Einstein: The Art and Science of Remembering Everything, explaining that creating more worthwhile memories can lengthen our perception of time.

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On average, people squander 40 days a year compensating for things they've forgotten. Joshua Foer used to be one of those people, but after a year of memory training, he found himself in the finals of the U.S. Memory Championship. Even more important, Foer found a vital truth we often forget: In every way that matters, we are the sum of our memories.

Moonwalking with Einstein: The Art and Science of Remembering Everything draws on cutting-edge research, a surprising cultural history of memory, and venerable tricks of the mentalist's trade to transform our understanding of human remembering. Using methods that have been largely forgotten, Foer discovers that we can all dramatically improve our memories. At a time when electronic devices have all but rendered our individual memories obsolete, Foer's call to resurrect the forgotten art of remembering becomes an urgent quest. - Sixth and I Historic Synagogue

Joshua Foer, the author of Moonwalking with Einstein: The Art and Science of Remembering Everything, is the co-founder of the Atlas Obscura and Sukkah City. He has written for National Geographic, Esquire, The New York Times, The Washington Post, and Slate.

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[harisghole]

I'm going to read his hyped book... But methinks he should have MEMORIZED his speech... Like seriously... "Moonwalking with Einstein: The Art and Science of Remembering Everything" He should have...

[timrice666]

That's just like, his opinion, man

[celainea]

Uhm, more & more things proven to be good for us psychologically, physically that once again the poor will find difficult if not impossible to do. Right now, 45% or more Americans are at or below the poverty level. In the war between rich & poor, the rich have chosen to survive & prosper on the backs & bodies of the poor. They have done it to the 3rd & 2nd world countries & now they are doing it to the 1st world.

[BladesOfMunch]

I can't believe that was it. I wanted this video to be much longer... to [at least] discuss the Reminiscence Bump, the Serial Position Effect, memory aids, Rehearsal, State-dependent learning and Recall ... but alas, none of that. I personally feel by missing these important points, there have been many "helpful" things left untold concerning human memory.

[Ramsez]

i hope this talk will change my life

[anandamide199]

@AsAboveSoBelow01 I would rather call it an interesting hypothesis.He got this idea from his friend Ed Cooke who worked on it for his master thesis in cognitive science at I think Oxford.

[anandamide199]

Loved this guys book.

[BigMTBrain]

@maxgunn555 - (correction) - "...that he COULDN'T remember much..."

[BigMTBrain]

@AsAboveSoBelow01 - Quite possibly. Note that I said, "I believe". I'm sure you'll declare the following garbage--you are certainly free to do so--but I'll put it forth anyway: People are always astonished when I tell them my age, insisting that I have to be much much younger than my true age in reference to looks, attitude, quest for fun, and ability to learn and do. Hey, works for me. XD It could be genetic, but none of my siblings have aged quite as well, as they themselves often attest.

[BigMTBrain]

@maxgunn555 - "trying so hard" - Ha ha ha. I'm sorry that YOUR memories are so "hard" to conjure. I remember thousands of mine so easily, as clearly as if they happened just minutes ago. I used to work with a guy who told me that he could remember much at all about his grade school years. Me, I can remember so many moments quite vividly all the way back to age 3. Some people can, some can't. I'm truly sorry if you can't. It's an interesting feeling to be a mature watcher revisiting younger days.