When you let your mind wander,you switch back and forth all the time, remembering and...
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When you let your mind wander,
you switch back and forth all the time, remembering and imagining. Your mind is a time machine. In Lewis Carroll's
Through the Looking-Glass, the Queen of Hearts remarks, "It's a poor sort of memory
that only works backwards." It turns out... she's right. The same machinery that brings all those
pieces together to relive the past can bring some of those pieces together
with other pieces to simulate possible futures. Now, the flexibility that leads us
to remember things that never happened, that undermines the justice system, that corrupts our most vivid memories, it starts to look like a superpower, the key to our success as a species. It allows us to troubleshoot
upcoming experiences, to think through the ways in which
events might unfold, potential obstacles that might come up and the ways in which
we might deal with those obstacles
you switch back and forth all the time, remembering and imagining. Your mind is a time machine. In Lewis Carroll's
Through the Looking-Glass, the Queen of Hearts remarks, "It's a poor sort of memory
that only works backwards." It turns out... she's right. The same machinery that brings all those
pieces together to relive the past can bring some of those pieces together
with other pieces to simulate possible futures. Now, the flexibility that leads us
to remember things that never happened, that undermines the justice system, that corrupts our most vivid memories, it starts to look like a superpower, the key to our success as a species. It allows us to troubleshoot
upcoming experiences, to think through the ways in which
events might unfold, potential obstacles that might come up and the ways in which
we might deal with those obstacles
Full Transcript
00:00:01.000 --> 00:00:04.378
When you let your mind wander,
you switch back and forth all the time,
00:00:04.503 --> 00:00:06.088
remembering and imagining.
00:00:06.631 --> 00:00:08.966
Your mind is a time machine.
00:00:11.998 --> 00:00:13.012
In Lewis Carroll's
Through the Looking-Glass,
00:00:13.001 --> 00:00:14.472
the Queen of Hearts remarks,
00:00:14.555 --> 00:00:17.058
"It's a poor sort of memory
that only works backwards."
00:00:17.642 --> 00:00:19.393
It turns out... she's right.
00:00:20.853 --> 00:00:25.608
The same machinery that brings all those
pieces together to relive the past
00:00:25.733 --> 00:00:28.319
can bring some of those pieces together
with other pieces
00:00:28.402 --> 00:00:31.155
to simulate possible futures.
00:00:31.238 --> 00:00:35.368
Now, the flexibility that leads us
to remember things that never happened,
00:00:35.066 --> 00:00:38.999
that undermines the justice system,
00:00:38.012 --> 00:00:40.414
that corrupts our most vivid memories,
00:00:40.498 --> 00:00:42.583
it starts to look like a superpower,
00:00:42.917 --> 00:00:45.586
the key to our success as a species.
00:00:45.836 --> 00:00:49.131
It allows us to troubleshoot
upcoming experiences,
00:00:49.215 --> 00:00:52.218
to think through the ways in which
events might unfold,
00:00:52.301 --> 00:00:54.261
potential obstacles that might come up
00:00:54.345 --> 00:00:56.764
and the ways in which
we might deal with those obstacles.
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Movie Summary
Ever wonder what's happening inside your head? From dreaming to anxiety disorders, discover how your brain works with this illuminating series.
![[narrator] The brain circuitry responsible - The Mind, Explained](https://clip.cafe/img400/narrator-the-brain-circuitry-responsible.jpg)
