Useful intellectual phrase: "memory hole"

[TBRS1]

The term "memory hole" comes from George Orwell's novel 1984.

In the novel, the primary victim, Winston Smith, is employed as an "archivist" at the official government archive/entertainment office, The Ministry of Truth.

An archivist's job is normally to preserve information so that the information can be used by future researchers. However, in the 1984 universe, Smith's actual job is to rewrite official documents in order to eliminate factual history and replace that history with one better suited to the governments current version of "what really happened."

In the novel, we find Smith instructed to rewrite a news article from some time in the recent past, eliminating the name of a individual who had previously been given a governmental honor because that individual had fallen out of favor and been disappeared.

After the rewrite the revised version goes into the official file, and tho old document goes into a shoot leading to an incinerator - this is the "memory hole."

The term is now used to refer to attempts made by individuals with power to rewrite history in such a way that the truth disappears and is replaced by a more politically useful version of events.

What is particularly interesting (to me) about this imaginary scenario is that Smith, as a member of "the party" MUST believe that HIS OWN LIES ARE THE TRUTH.

Naturally, this creates cognitive dissonance, which leads Smith to rebel and...

...well, just read to book.

In the mean time, if one pays attention, one can watch stuff from as little as a month ago be "memory holed" in real time.

Enjoy your cognitive dissonance! It's provided to you for free by those who have power over information!

 

[Outdated]

That's been happening since writing was first invented, and probably before then too with defaced cave paintings and carvings.

There's a few historical events I lived through where my memory does not match modern versions of the stories, part of that will be to do with an old man's dodgy memory recall but certainly not all of it.

 

[Jumpinbare]

Even mundane current events get mis-reported. I noticed while still a preteen that every happening that I had first-hand knowledge of that hit the news (print and/or television) was reported with glaring errors. Sometimes the errors were bad enough to completely change or even negate the essence of what was being reported on.

It finally occurred to me that it was highly unlikely that only things I had first hand knowledge of were being misreported. It was much more likely that all news was being mishandled this way.

Whether through sloppiness or bias on the reporter's part or the same on the editor's part, the result is the same. People are routinely being fed unreliable information on a daily basis.

 

[TBRS1]

That's been happening since writing was first invented, and probably before then too with defaced cave paintings and carvings.

There's a few historical events I lived through where my memory does not match modern versions of the stories, part of that will be to do with an old man's dodgy memory recall but certainly not all of it.

Oh yes, and absolutely.

True fact - when people using social media delete old, embarrassing posts, they are memory holing. It is a natural thing.

It doesn't really become problematic until memory holing is used for manipulative ends.

I am also old enough to be painfully familiar with watching history I experienced and saw with my own eyes being revised.

 

[thejuice]

Smith's actual job is ... to eliminate factual history and replace that history with ... current version of "what really happened."

Thats an interesting and highly relevant concept, especially when you see the attempts by activist academics to re-interprate morally ambiguous history through a single, narrow lens. Complex societal relationships boiled down to tyranical power struggles to suit current cultural systems of thought.

We also try to eliminate influential historical figures from popular culture because they have some kind of 'problematic' element to their character according to modern sensibility, ignoring the social and moral context of the time.

 

[thejuice]

People are routinely being fed unreliable information on a daily basis.

Yes and as we know eye witness statements are notoriously unreliable

 

[TBRS1]

Thats an interesting and highly relevant concept, especially when you see the attempts by activist academics to re-interprate morally ambiguous history through a single, narrow lens. Complex societal relationships boiled down to tyranical power struggles to suit current cultural systems of thought.

Yes.

Also, the concept of "whitewashing history" is closely related, along with the term "gaslighting."

 

[Mary Terry]

The thought police will punish us for speaking of such things.

 

[TBRS1]

The thought police will punish us for speaking of such things.

I am a master in the art of non thinking, so I'm safe.

I learned this art from Master Bozo who taught me to think nonsense as much as possible .