Forgetting & Technology

Are there things, ideas, or beliefs that are best forgotten? Can digital technology help reinforce forgetting? What are the motives for forgetting? What is being forgotten and remembered in the virtual world?

Lately, I've been imagining what a course would look like that aimed to investigate issues related to technology and memory. Of course, I would like for a course to expand this inquiry with an investigation about writing practices in different contexts and among different audiences.

Just when we think that memory is gradually disappearing from academic or public inquiry, memory continues to thrive as a significant object of inquiry. Take for example Viktor Mayer-Schönberger's "Delete: The Virtue of Forgetting in the Digital Age," which makes a strong case for believing that technology continues to make forgetting and forgetfulness obsolete. Much of what we want to forget is constantly remembered through technological and digital tools that "mark" much of what we attempt to erase and forget. This makes us think about how much of the information that we "delete" in the virtual world is not necessarily erased completely. Therefore, technology, such as the Internet, becomes a permanent marker for anything and everything that is circulated virtually. Does this assure us that technology facilitates human memory (as suggested by Sharon Crowley)? Certainly. Does this suggest that technology is part of public discourse that continues to challenge much of what we can say as opposed to what should (not) be said? Perhaps. With the ever growing popularity of Facebook and Twitter, forgetting and memory continue to function as power binaries that need to be investigated in relation to humankind's relationship with technology. Mayer-Schönberger's book may serve as a worthwhile read to further continue thinking about these issues.

On another note, I had announced that I had plans of removing this blog. However, I changed my mind. Now, I would like to move this blog to Wordpress. Please stay tuned for more info about this.