Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Flashbulb Memories
Today we began the class by discussing flashbulb memories and how these memories about certain situations can change over a long period of time. This made me think of the attacks on September 11, 2001. I remember this was the year I first started at a new school in the fifth grade. While I was in religion class an announcement went around to the teachers that there were attacks on the twin towers and the pentagon and the class prayed together. Shortly after we had a break and we crowded into the cafeteria where there was a TV displaying the news. I remember watching the TV as the towers were crashing and burning. My mom came to my school that day to pick me up early; she wanted to be with me during such a scary time. I remember the event so vividly, I was so sure thats how the event occurred during that day. But after learning about such memories today, I started to wonder how much of it is correct and how much became distorted over time.
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I remembered a similar scene in class the other day. I too thought about how much of it really happened and what was just manifested from what my parents or friends told me about that day. It is almost scary to think that our memories are so easily altered.
ReplyDeleteI was in fourth grade, and I had no idea what happened until later that night; my mom refused to talk to me about it. I have an uncle who lives in the city, and looking back, I can understand exactly why she was worried so much. I think it's interesting to be able to remember exactly what you were doing at a particular time, and flashbulb memories in general. At the time, I didn't understand, but now, looking back, I can understand completely.
ReplyDeleteI was also in the fourth grade and remember exactly where I was during 9/11. My dad worked in the city at the time so my mom pulled me out of school right away and explained to me what was going on. It is interesting the older we get we can still recall flashbulb memories. I wonder if there is a certain age when you can't recall these memories anymore?
ReplyDeleteI was too in the fourth grade when the 9/11 attacks occured on the World Trade Centers and I still remember that day. I had never heard of the World Trade Centers until that day and I just knew something bad was happening. It is wierd in a way to think that I don't really remember much else about the fourth grade. I could not tell you everyone in my class but I remember that very day. This is flashbulb memory and it is very interesting and I wonder also if there is a certain age where you are too young to remember flashbulb memories.
ReplyDeleteI too was in 4th grade when this happened. I remember being in school, all the teachers and all the staff knew what was happening, but they would not tell us. I walked home not knowing what happened, until I got home. I went up stairs and saw my mom on her bed crying and thats when I found out what had happneded. This memory is one of the more vivid memories to me and it does have to do with the seriousness of it.
ReplyDeleteLike everyone else who posted, I was in the 4th grade too and I can seriously remember it like it was yesterday. We had just been called out to recess when the teachers immeditely called us all together and rushed us inside. We were let out of school early, and I didn't find out what happened until later that day when I was at the doctors and my doctor accidently said something about it not knowing that my mom didn't want to tell me yet. It's weird how you can remember nothing else about your life when you're 9 or 10 years old but you remember something like that and I agree that it's because of the seriousness of the event.
ReplyDeleteI can remember September 11th like it was yesterday. I live pretty close to the city and I can vividly remember seeing the smoke from the towers after they had fallen, and my mom withdrew my from school an hour after it happened. The weird thing about the memory is I can't think of a single thing from that early in my childhood as vividly as I can remember this one incident. The weight of the actual tragedy didn't really hit me until way later, but in that moment i knew whatever was going on was serious and does not happen very often, which is probably why it has stuck with me for so long.
ReplyDeleteI too can remember where I was on September 11. Like most of the people who previously commented, I was in 4th grade in social studies class learning about Australia. The principal at the time, went on the loud speaker and told everyone to report to the auditorium and we all watched what was taking place on the television. The weird part is I do no remember anything else from 4th grade. It's interesting how one can remember certain events due to the severity of it.
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