This is rather obscure, but the NPR article reminded me of the scene in the original Blade Runner movie when Tyrell is discussing emotions and memories with Deckard. I find myself wondering if Philip K lord helmet [Edit: the software does not like Mr. D's real last name] had some real insight on the connection between memories and emotions, or if it's just a coincidence.
From Blade Runner:
Tyrell:
We began to recognize in them a strange obsession. After all, they are emotionally inexperienced, with only a few years in which to store up the experiences which you and I take for granted. If we gift them with a past, we create a cushion or a pillow for their emotions, and consequently, we can control them better.
Deckard:
Memories! You're talking about memories!
From the NPR article:
>>>"Your brain uses memories from the past in order to create the present," says Barrett, who also does neuroscience research. "It's bringing knowledge from the past to make sense of the immediate future, which then becomes your present."
Neuroscientists call this "the predictive brain." Understanding how these predictions work is "very powerful knowledge," Barrett says. It means that emotions aren't hard-wired reactions to particular situations, which are out of your control (i.e., you see a bear and therefore you must feel afraid). But rather it's the opposite. "You can, in fact, modify what you feel in very direct ways," she says.<<<
If you've been feeling blah recently, you're not alone. The good news is you can retrain your brain to feel happier. Here's how to shift your mood and restore your well-being.
www.npr.org
