Delete, delete, delete

I read recently that lab based boffins have developed a memory-erasing pill! http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1145777/Pill-erase-bad-memories-Ethical-furore-drugs-threaten-human-identity.html

Dutch researchers have claimed to test this theory with beta-blocker drugs, usually prescribed for heart disease, they gave the drug to a group then showed pictures of spiders and monitored their response. They were then tested over two days and when the drug was out of their system, they seemed to respond less dramatically to the pictures. In theory they’re memory of being scared of the spiders had gone.

I laughed when I saw the little memory eraser thingy used by Agent J (Will Smith) in 1997's Men In Black - I thought it was a good idea. The same with Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, where a couple, after going through a painful break up, under go a process to delete all their memories, it was thought provoking. Now it seems that soon we will be able to delete our own memories. In theory, it was nice to discuss, in practise I’m not sure I agree with it.

It’s been said that this pill would be used for post traumatic stress and awful recurring bad memories, but who would decide what a bad memory was? Two years ago, I climbed into the shower at the farthest end of the bath. My flatmate had clearly been over zealous with the shower gel and missed her target loofah, I promptly slipped hitting my face off the edge of the bath almost breaking my nose and creating not only two lovely little black eyes but also a new phobia of bath-showers, cubicles are my future. Even now I get flash backs of slipping and it makes me go all goose pimply, I really do avoid bath showers and I am forever warning people to use them at their peril. Seriously reader, be careful as you climb in keep hold of the side and if you slip once abort ‘mission shower’ ABORT! That may well be a memory I would want to suppress, nay erase! Would a Dr consider that bad enough to fall under the 'erase' category?

I understand that victims of terrible muggings/beatings or rape may want the option to erase that memory, but is that a good thing? What about the lessons you learn from all these experiences, how it makes you stronger? If this pill makes it to mainstream medication we run the risk of morphing into botox shadows of our former selves with no stories to tell, no experiences to share, good or bad. Isn’t that what makes us unique, makes us, us? Isn’t that what makes us human?

Erasing memories in theory would be good, but in practise it’s just messing with our human make up and we’re amazing as we are, how we cope with life, how we learn from lessons. Erasing memories would be erasing a piece of you. That, and my councillor friend said it would put her out of a job….