Dory Syndrome
Goldfish has about 2 to 7 sec memory.
That explains how they can survive in a small fish bowl without dying of boredom. I mean, one fish would swim to one end and goes “hmm, this is a new place!”.. then a few seconds later, swim to another end and goes “woh! Another new place!”, and the circle continues.
Remember Dory from Finding Nemo? The fish with the short memory span? I think I am suffering from the same problem. My short term memory is like failing me. I can’t remember what I have told people so I tend to repeat myself till my self-awareness caught me. This is bad if I tell lie, but then I don’t really lie. heh.
When you want to tell a lie, always remember what you said, else it will come back and bite you in the ass. I always think that to be a good liar, one must have good memory to remember all the lies so that no two lies cross one another.
Anyway, back to the Dory Syndrome. So I was having those short memory span, I think my memory are used to store those things that are more important in life. Like phone numbers, addresses, emails, URL, IM nicks, names, etc. Those things that can be easily stored with a PDA. I do have a pda, but I prefer to dial friend’s phone from memory. Who knows one day the PDA might ran out of battery and I need to call someone?
Nope, not being paranoid, but I think storing stuff is useful and helps to train the brain. But doesn’t seems to work for short term memory.
Excuse me, but I need to go blog about Dory Syndrome now.
you know, I’ve always wondered the exact same thing about the fish, or other pets for that matter. How much they remember in their glass. But I actually do not believe fish are that “stupid”. I have the blurry memory of having read somewhere small fish are trainable to remember things, mostly by “electric shock / reward” system. So that works…oh well.
I believe the goldfish memory is an urban legend. There has been documented research proving goldfish have –
Err.. what was I saying again?
You’re so cute. You are very forgetful though. Like meeting me for dinner last night dammit!!
Anyways, I am so jealous of your blog.
might not necessarily be a bad thing
Heh … I’m a true to life Dory. Always say my brain is like a sieve — retains all the usless info while losing all the important stuff
Ditto that aMuse. Likewise. I prefer to think of this tendency to forget as some kind of protective mechanism. Imagine if you could remember every single thing. Including the negatives (i.e. the grudges, hurts, pain, people, problems) Think i’d implode. I mean, I remember certain events or incidents being painful, but how painful exactly and details of it i don’t rem. i’m grateful for that. Many times, it’s better to be able to forget and live life looking forward. There are minuses as well of course. But oh well, i’m more or less happily a Dory =)
Tke maore brain food la, like gingko biloba or something and eat more fish.
hi j and amuse, i have the same tendency to do that too. there are times that i forget what is being said to me but actually remembered other irrelevant stuff like what’s playing in the background music, etc etc.
sometimes the dory syndrome comes when u dont happen to be concentrating at that particular moment…
Aren’t we all growing old? =)
My whole day is a series of Dory syndrome incidents. I have so much work to do, but from one blog to the next, I forget how pressing my work is.
I think I have selective memory. But even the most painful memories fades.
I read about the fish memory thing somewhere and googled it. Seems that there are people doing research about it. So I just take it with a grain of salt.
anyway, the gingko thingy that La idler recommended works somewhat, not for me yet, but with someone I know. The memory seems to have improved somewhat.
Fish are definitely not stupid. I saw a documentary about this goldfish living with another fish in the tank. The other fish had a torn fin and couldn’t swim upwards. Everytime the owner poured food in the bowl, the goldfish would use its mouth to nudge the other fish upwards towards the food and let it eat before itself. Without fail!
How amazing is that?
oh my gosh. so sweet of that fish. haiyah. Im touched.
dfddfdfddfdfdfdf
i prove that it’s wrong!!!
try it by yourself:
take a goldfish, and give him food. a few sec after that you gave him the food; give him a camera flash. i did it 3 times per day for one week. on the last day just give him the food but dont flash him!, then you will see that the fish is swemming fast and behave unusual.
thus is my prove.