Memory and identities in the age of Google

I have has several discussions with my sister or parents where we have disputed vigorously each others' memory (or lack of memory )of a past event in our childhood. Sometimes, I remember something with utter clarity and a family member says "I don't remember that, you're making that up, I'm sure that never happened" On other occasions, my sister will say "remember when you ... " and some memory I'd long since let go of pops back up to the surface. Or doesn't, and in the face of her certainty I'm forced to realise that I've utterly forgotten something.

And yet, I have vivid memories, going back to age 2 1/2, of my sister as a baby newly home from the hopital. How to explain the discrepancy? It seems our brains hold on to some things - most likely those memories that are reinforced over time (or perhaps overwritten in the retelling), and lets go of others.

I've read somewhere that forgetting can be healthy. Part of growing, moving on in life.

But now there is Google. I Googled my name the other day (as you do - and if you don't you should)

And I found this reference in the New Zealand Herald. I have no memory of it. And yet, I definitely am the Rachel Prosser they're talking about.

The other thing I find fascinating is looking at all the other Rachel Prossers of this world (and there are several of us) and wondering which ones are the same. I don't think a casual observer would link me, at Tenancy Services with the Rachel Prosser in London advising licensing committees, or the theatre I did in Christchurch. Maybe they would think me a professional volley baller (I wish, but unlikely given I'm only 5' 2''). Those who know I went to Italy on youth exchange might think I'm now an Italian Translator (again - I wish - I didn't get much past basic conversation, although I'm very proficient at ordering espresso.) Nor am I the Professor Rachel Prosser, who "was a remarkable woman in her own right as Professor of Psychiatry at the UCL Medical School". And for the record it wasn't me who shot a 10-point buck from a stand at about 4:30 p.m on Nov. 11 while hunting in Kittson County.

I'm glad that the Rachel Prossers out there seem to only have done good things (subject to your opinion on blood-sports) . It must be awfully difficult to share a name with someone notorious, particularly now recruiters often Google job candidates.

There are services now to overwhelm Google searches by positive information, but I hope that we can learn to accept that people aren't perfect all their life. We often have multiple roles, and identities, and sometimes we do grow up and move on. Sometimes letting go of memories is a good thing.

And if any of you other Rachel Prossers (Rachels Prosser?) out there read this, do say hi.

Info:Marcia Reynolds has some great stuff on how our brain works, her website Outsmart Your Brain is here. Cordelia Fine also has a great book "A mind of its own :How your brain distorts and deceives".