Interesting question. Thinking on it, it seems to me that there are generally 2 outcomes I've heard about.
One is that the person is basically the same personality, muscle-memory, and general knowledge. EG: They have the knowledge to do the same things as before - but don't know WHY or WHEN they learned those things. I'm guessing this knowledge is stored in the person's subconscious and only their conscious mind is "wiped". I would prefer this type of amnesia.
The second is that the person has to relearn everything.
Without any memories of your prior life involving relationships/experiences who are you? Don't memories define that? I dunno Walt. All day every day I live in the now but I recall things from before and people from before and experiences from before constantly. It makes up who I am. I know what I love what I like what I avoid what my strengths are and weaknesses. I know when I come here which folks I can always be me with and relax because I TRUST THEM. You are one of them. I have zero walls up nor do I fear anything with those I trust. I have that knowledge of all my interactions with everyone I've encountered here. Some I avoid altogether. Once burned twice shy. Some I answer immediately because I KNOW even if we disagree the exchange will be pleasant and worthwhile. Some I take a chance on because I am unfamiliar with them. That's what I mean. Whom would I be without that prior knowledge? I HAVE NO IDEA but I do not want to ever find out. Thank you for your reply! :)
Without any memories of your prior life involving relationships/experiences who are you? Don't memories define that?
That's why I'd rather suffer the first type of amnesia. I believe it only affects the conscious mind ... so the memories are still stored in the subconscious, just unavailable to the conscious mind. I believe this is why people are able to recover their memories on a conscious level.
EG: Their conscious mind suffers amnesia - so they don't remember family/friends. But those memories are still stored in the subconscious, so the more they see family/friends, their subconscious eventually "releases" those memories to the conscious mind. Or the taste of food "reminds" them of being with people during some holiday.
I did not know that Walt. Memories buried in the subconscious if left intact may filter up through to the conscious mind? I'd rather have that too but still WHO ARE YOU? WHO WERE YOU? WHOM WILL YOU BECOME? It's just very scary to me. Anything to do with the mind being made "less than". Because I spend so much time questioning imagining opining supposing which is always based on ROSIE G the person I know myself to be. I lose that and then what's left? I would think a very frightened and confused person. Like waking up one day and not understanding the language. Anyway here's hoping neither of those types will afflict us in any way. Even though we all have unhappy memories mostly my memories make me very happy. Hopes yours do too! Thank you for your reply! :)
Life is nothing but memories. Life is this instant. Anything that happened before this very instant is a memory. One can hope for the future (no memories there as it hasn't happened yet), but one can only remember the past (unchangeable). Whatever you did a moment ago is now only a memory. Its effects may linger from moment to moment, but the deed itself is only a memory.
How we react to other people or current situations is based mostly on what we remember from the past. Everything we learned in life is a memory as it already happened.
While total amnesia may make one a "blank slate", it won't "erase" the memories of others that person came into contact with over their life. If one treated others with hatred, disrespect, was arrogant, rude, insensitive, and such, they may receive the same despite having amnesia. best to treat others like you'd want to be treated now... just in case.
It s a very scary thought for me Shuhak. I TREASURE my memories. Especially of those I loved who are no longer in my life because they've passed away or moved away or whatever. I don't dwell in the past because I want to always live in the now. HOWEVER I visit the past often through briefly. Something I experience today may bring up a memory of a past time. If there are no memories of the past then what we do today exists all alone on its own and is tied to nothing. Just writing that gives me the heebie jeebies. Thank you for your reply. Whatever lies ahead I hope my mind/memories are the last to go with my last breath. :
Oy vey! Zounds! Gadzooks! Yegads! Good grief! You know what that means right? YOU HAVE AMNESIA NOW! Condolences to thee Stu Bee. So long it's been good ta know ya so long it's been good ta know ya so long it's been good to know ya but ya gotta be travelin' along. Adios amigo! Vaya con Dios! :)
If you are dead, who would you be? If you are someone when you are dead, you are someone with no memories. That is your ROLE. That is what you are when you are alive. A mind and body. There is something beyond that. There is a soul. That soul is AWARENESS and that soul is YOU.
Walt O'Reagun 