We start this section off with a question from writer Andrei Codrescu: "where do computers get their extra memory from?" And then we take it literally. Can you add memories? Dr. Elizabeth Loftus says yes. She’s a psychologist in the department of Criminology, Law and Society at the University of California at Irvine, and her research shows that you can implant memories—wholly false memories—pretty easily into the brains of humans. Her work challenges the reliability of eye-witness testimony, and is so controversial that she once had to call the bomb squad. Then, producer Neda Pourang brings us the story of finding a lost memory. Painter Joe Andoe incessantly paints huge canvasses of seemingly random images: horses, pastures, and - more recently - a girl with a particular about-to-say-something look on her face. He didn't realize until recently that he'd been painting a day from his past, a fragment of an afternoon 30 years earlier.
Comments [14]
Oops, my fault. Not the 24:00 mark but the 35:20 mark.
I really enjoyed this story. Does anyone know the instrumental track that was playing while they were describing the paintings around 24:00 time. Beautiful track, sounds like recalling a cherished long forgotten moment in time.
A question regarding the piece about students in the classroom believing the "thief" the professor described had curly hair. Could it be that the collective memory was only forged because a figure of authority pointed out what he "described" as a fact? Could it be that some students disagreed with the professor but didn't dare contradict him? I'd certainly like to know more.
This piece began with facts on memory. I found myself wondering where the story is. Then it transitioned beautifully into a story of love, loss, and art. It was beautifully done. It used the associative structure perfectly.
This is the link to joes studio, not sure if its appropriate to post here, but it was thanks of radio lab that was inspired.
http://wheretheycreate.com/index.php?/other-projects/joe-andoe-painter-nyc/
I love your show, thank you.. I was so compelled by Joes story that i shot him for my blog.
"where they create"
Just heard this podcast. (Yes, I'm late to the party.) It's great, except for the segment with Andrei Codrescu. I'm sorry, his glib, superficial characterizations of "Americans" make me nauseous.
Why give this guy air time? He's not funny or insightful. Minus the accent and all the authority that accompanies it, he's barely worthy a column in Parade.
I think someone seems to have stolen YOUR ideas. And used them in Inception.
The Joe Andoe story is one of the most romantic things I've ever heard. Gutting and magical. Now to remember it...
Can anyone tell me what the name of the musician is for that beautiful song that follows the piece about Joe Andoe?
My concern lies in the validity of the painter's memory of the girl and the time they were in the pasture. Since Doctor Loftus proves how easily it is to manipulate memories, cannot Andoe's memories be just as faulty? Is he just trying to find false correlations of the things he paints? The girl has obviously passed and cannot be asked, and no one else is around to verify.
I love the radiolabs and listen to them all the time. Thank you for providing nonbiased material to get a young college student, as myself, thinking outside the box.
good radio
Loved the editing and presentation of this most important topic. Downloaded the audio file. However, I don't believe that the entire show was included in the nice audio provided.
Not to mention the fact that I'd love to download all of my memories into a computer. More permanence than my actual brain!
A tiny bit less metaphorically than computer companies stealing our thoughts, you could argue that corporate culture and commodification/consumerist culture really does short circuit our memories, recycling cultural ideas so fast and mixing them up so much that they wipe our brains of any sort of historical context.
Leave a Comment
Register for your own account so you can vote on comments, save your favorites, and more. Learn more.
Please stay on topic, be civil, and be brief.
Email addresses are never displayed, but they are required to confirm your comments. Names are displayed with all comments. We reserve the right to edit any comments posted on this site. Please read the Comment Guidelines before posting. By leaving a comment, you agree to New York Public Radio's Privacy Policy and Terms Of Use.