Memory

[ouch!]

Why do we remember events as much better/more fun than we actually experienced them at the time?

[kags]

This is an opinion - not based on any factual evidence whatsoever!!! - I think the human brain is usually programmed to dull the memories of bad things, in order to protect itself. Therefore when we look back on events, any of the negative things that were going on get filtered out. I can remember spraining all the ligaments in my ankle last year, I know I was in agony, but i can't remember what it felt like, I just laugh now about how I was stuck in the middle of nowhere with 2 young children, no mobile phone, and no ability to walk. Ha ha ha we say, wasn't that a funny old day - when I think really really hard I CAN remember what it was really like, but it wouldn't do me any good to relive those feelings. I said above that the brain "usually" works this way - there are plenty of people whose brains seem to work the oposite way, and only remember the bad things.

[darth vader]

the nice professor on beeb1 (moustaches and glasses) explained the embarassment factor recently, kags. Our brain remembers embarrassing moments more vividly than our nice memories, it is a defence mechanism so that we learn from our mistakes and don't do it again.

In reference to ouch!'s question then the answer (IMHO cos i have no facts to back it up) is that we play the event over in our minds a few times, each time we remove bits we don't want to remember, until eventually we have a nice glossy memory with no bad bits in whatsoever in our minds, hence a better picture than it actually was at the time. This is why there is often an anti-climax when you visit a place you haven't seen for... 20 years or so as it just doesn't seem to be how you remembered it (even though it ain't changed one bit)

[darth vader]

Bear in mind also that some memories are from your childhood when your perspective was different to how you think now

[birdy72]

I think sometimes we feel this because those events may be a fine comparison to what may be happening at the moment (ahhh, the good old days). Take holidays, for example: most of mine have been fantastic, while a few have been good but not great - but I still look upon these with a warm rush of nostalgia and reminisce, and dream about being there.. this is my escapist reaction to leaving the adventure behind and coming back to the monotony which can sometimes plague you in your everyday life.