The Technology of Memory

What happens to us when we can outsource and archive our memories? What’s the difference between technological recall and human remembrance? What do Jorge Luis Borges and Maude Flanders have in common? My attempt to answer all these questions and more is up now at The New Atlantis. Teaser quote:

Through technology, the alienation and systematization of memory mutually reinforce one another, making our narratives flatter and our experiences sharper. Unless we learn how to retain fully narrative and relational memories, we will likely continue to enjoy more malleable identities in exchange for more managed behavior.

(Image courtesy Flickrer Gaetan Lee.)