Erasing the
Memory of Desire: Individual Fulfillment in a Delusional World
The emotions associated with love and desire are perhaps the most
fundamental part of the human experience – neither kings nor beggars can escape
the cruel clutches of Cupid. What many do not realize is that when we fall in
love, we are actually falling in love with our idealized image[i]
of the other. We do not desire the other for who they truly are, but rather
what we want them to be. This
idealized image deepens the division between self and other and makes the
fulfillment of desire an impossible feat.
Where do these idealized images come from? When a memory is first
formed, it is vulnerable to personal interpretation. As a memory is
consolidated, we create a long-term memory based on our interpretation and
reaction to the event2. We then use these memories to
construct an image of the beloved. However, new breakthroughs in the arena of
neuroscience indicate that specific memories can be targeted and erased, or at
the very least neutralized, to alter the physiological reaction to memories.
Particularly in recent years, neuroscientists have made countless
advances in the arena of memory erasure. In 2007, Yadin Dudai discovered that
injecting the brain with a certain protein inhibitor caused memories to be
forgotten at an increased rate in lab animals[ii].
This January, researchers at the Medical University of Vienna discovered that
opioids could be used to completely erase spinal memory traces of pain[iii].
Additionally, many neuroscientists have looked to behavioral conditioning as a
means of altering the subject’s emotional response to a specific memory[iv].
The implications of these discoveries may extend to affect not only medical
practices, but also the manipulation of personal desires.
An important thing to keep in mind is that memory erasure is a
double-edged sword – it can be used as a means to both destroy and preserve the
image of the beloved. Unmet desires could be erased from the brain permanently
by destroying the memories used to construct the image of the beloved. To desire is to acknowledge that the
self is lacking something and unmet desires can lead to prolonged feelings of deficiency
and dissatisfaction. Recent research indicates that it is probable that within
the next few years, neuroscientists will be capable of targeting and erasing
memories of unmet desires. This could lead to healthier opinions of self,
higher self esteem, and a stronger sense of fulfillment on a societal level.
Conversely, memory neutralization can assist in the upkeep of an
idealized image. On some occasions, the beloved exhibits a behavior that
disrupts or damages the idealized image. If a specific memory or event
triggered the dissolution of the image of the beloved, it can be neutralized. In
the instance that a significant other made a hasty comment or was caught in a
lie, the negative emotions of betrayal associated with the memory can be
neutralized. This makes an open, rational dialogue about the issue more
possible. In this way, the discovery of
memory neutralization can be used to assist in relational conflict resolution.
There is speculation that the manipulation of memories can increase
the probability that a relationship will be fulfilling and enduring. However, the
scientific community has seen a strong backlash from ethicist groups on these
discoveries. Although memory erasure and neutralization may make for a more
positive individual experience with desire, it is nevertheless a false
rendering of reality. When considering
the ethical use of memory erasure for non-medical purposes, the age-old
question arises: Is the delusion of a society worth the fulfillment of the
individual?
[i]
Lacan, Jacques. 1949. Pp.
1-3 and 172-175 in Écrits: A Selection.
New York
[ii]
Shema, Reut, Todd Charlton
Sacktor, and Yadin Dudai. "Rapid erasure of long-term memory associations
in the cortex by an inhibitor of PKM." Science Signalling 317.5840
(2007): 951.
[iii]
Drdla-Schutting, Ruth,
Justus Benrath, • Gabriele Wunderbaldinger, and Jürgen Sandkühler.
"Erasure of a Spinal Memory Trace of Pain by a Brief, High-Dose Opioid
Administration." Science 335.6065 (2012): 235-38.
[iv] Reichelt, Amy. "Remembering To Forget." The
Conversation. The Conversation Media Group, 2 Oct. 2012. Web.
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