I'm finding mnemonic practice to be a great way to practice creative visualization, long term memory recall (for palaces and sometimes images), concentration, discipline and intentional relaxation all in one. I just went back and read your other piece, memorize for meaning, and I could relate to pretty much every point: the enhanced richness and context of life, the way things become a part of you, the idea copulation even. I notice that when I memorize something, it hits me more vividly than if I just read it, and of course it should. You can't memorize something without reading it carefully. It forces your brain to work - but it's more like inviting your brain to work if you keep it easy and fun and like a game you play with yourself. However, pushing through the bit of resistance to recall rehearse something an extra few times is an important practice, it's a good way to build the skill of pushing through the resistance you face in learning and growth situations.
This has got to be a huge exercise for cognitive function and skill both in terms of having things memorized that you can draw on in the long run, and in the very act of it in the short run and the multiple ways it exercises the brain.
I was wondering about something else - part of why AI can be - or appear - so brilliant is its access to vast amounts of information. A human being, even with the ability of these ancients, will probably never be able to store as much information or have as much sheer processing power as they can, but we can do a lot better than we usually do and augment the human qualities that set us apart from AI. This is a fuzzy idea but my point is that I realized it's possible that a big part of intelligence is just having a lot of information memorized and organized for recall.
Ya. For me it's about quality, utility, and understanding of knowledge vs raw volume.
We'll never compete with AI on volume. But when we just draw on AI's vast reserves we make ourselves unable to really utilize it. It's not like AI = BAD. But just...you need to be doing with what you find with AI's assistance. You need to make it part of you.
Ironically, if you’re actively and consistently doing things to take care of your cognitive health and expand your mental abilities, you could probably get far more out of AI than if you regard it as a replacement for all that.
Something else I’ve been meaning to do is when I want to ask AI about something, start with the Feynman technique. Anthony Metivier, who I learned the memory stuff I do from, says that once you do go ask an expert, aftetir trying to figure it out yourself by writing about 250 words about it, you’ll have much better questions to ask, therefore get better answers, and probably understand the answers you get better. Doing the same thing with AI could be a solid failsafe to avoid having it turn your brain to mush, and also get better at using it.
I really enjoyed this one Andrew. I suspect I am also a memory slacker, but I do find the idea interesting. I wonder how much our own styles of learning impact how much we value memory. I remember being expected to memorize physics facts and questions, and finding it easier to simply derive them again. But quotes and speeches and names are not my forte. I'd like to get better at it.
Ya. There are differences between active recall and passive recall too. Sometimes I've totally forgotten all about something I know, only to have it rush back into my consciousness just at the right time, solving a problem or making a connection I might have overlooked. My dreams have never been a vector for this (at least in the positive sense), but meditation, long walks, journaling...all kinds of stuff rushes back.
I love how you put it — memory is such a strange, stubborn creature!
I guess we all have our own "portals" to access what was hidden — for some it’s dreams, for others it’s walking, journaling, even the rhythm of breath.
I wonder if it's not so much where we look — but how quietly we listen.
Your way makes perfect sense. Thanks for sharing it — it’s fascinating how differently the mind whispers to each of us!
I did. Not my best recording effort on this one, I was rushing to try to get it done between other things, but I'm trying to get it a solid few months of recording articles to see if it's appreciated. What do you think?
I think that the common belief is that personal recordings, video especially but I don’t see why audio would be different, are good in establishing a trusting learning / educational relationship. At least that’s what I leaned in the Flipped learning methodology. I thought your recording was good. And I appreciate the effort. My Amylodosis now means I have issues with my vocal cords. I’d love to have the automated voice overs as Substack has a good one but I must be housed on an old server as none of my stacks have it enabled. And support can’t tell me when or if it ever will be.
I'm finding mnemonic practice to be a great way to practice creative visualization, long term memory recall (for palaces and sometimes images), concentration, discipline and intentional relaxation all in one. I just went back and read your other piece, memorize for meaning, and I could relate to pretty much every point: the enhanced richness and context of life, the way things become a part of you, the idea copulation even. I notice that when I memorize something, it hits me more vividly than if I just read it, and of course it should. You can't memorize something without reading it carefully. It forces your brain to work - but it's more like inviting your brain to work if you keep it easy and fun and like a game you play with yourself. However, pushing through the bit of resistance to recall rehearse something an extra few times is an important practice, it's a good way to build the skill of pushing through the resistance you face in learning and growth situations.
This has got to be a huge exercise for cognitive function and skill both in terms of having things memorized that you can draw on in the long run, and in the very act of it in the short run and the multiple ways it exercises the brain.
I was wondering about something else - part of why AI can be - or appear - so brilliant is its access to vast amounts of information. A human being, even with the ability of these ancients, will probably never be able to store as much information or have as much sheer processing power as they can, but we can do a lot better than we usually do and augment the human qualities that set us apart from AI. This is a fuzzy idea but my point is that I realized it's possible that a big part of intelligence is just having a lot of information memorized and organized for recall.
Ya. For me it's about quality, utility, and understanding of knowledge vs raw volume.
We'll never compete with AI on volume. But when we just draw on AI's vast reserves we make ourselves unable to really utilize it. It's not like AI = BAD. But just...you need to be doing with what you find with AI's assistance. You need to make it part of you.
Ironically, if you’re actively and consistently doing things to take care of your cognitive health and expand your mental abilities, you could probably get far more out of AI than if you regard it as a replacement for all that.
Something else I’ve been meaning to do is when I want to ask AI about something, start with the Feynman technique. Anthony Metivier, who I learned the memory stuff I do from, says that once you do go ask an expert, aftetir trying to figure it out yourself by writing about 250 words about it, you’ll have much better questions to ask, therefore get better answers, and probably understand the answers you get better. Doing the same thing with AI could be a solid failsafe to avoid having it turn your brain to mush, and also get better at using it.
The old tried and true sales pitch lesson of:
“Tell em what you’re gonna tell em, tell em, then tell em what you just told em.”
Who knew it was based in the Stoics? ☺️
I really enjoyed this one Andrew. I suspect I am also a memory slacker, but I do find the idea interesting. I wonder how much our own styles of learning impact how much we value memory. I remember being expected to memorize physics facts and questions, and finding it easier to simply derive them again. But quotes and speeches and names are not my forte. I'd like to get better at it.
Even the Stoics knew: wisdom isn’t something we master once — it’s something we have to rekindle, again and again.
Not everything we forget is lost.
Some truths simply archive themselves — tucked away on the furthest shelf of the mind, buried under daily noise.
And when the conscious mind finally rests... the deeper library wakes.
In dreams, old knowledge stirs — reaching out like sparks beneath the ash — whispering:
"You knew this once. You still do!"
It’s one of life’s small, stubborn miracles:
Sometimes, we don’t find wisdom — wisdom finds us.
Ya. There are differences between active recall and passive recall too. Sometimes I've totally forgotten all about something I know, only to have it rush back into my consciousness just at the right time, solving a problem or making a connection I might have overlooked. My dreams have never been a vector for this (at least in the positive sense), but meditation, long walks, journaling...all kinds of stuff rushes back.
I love how you put it — memory is such a strange, stubborn creature!
I guess we all have our own "portals" to access what was hidden — for some it’s dreams, for others it’s walking, journaling, even the rhythm of breath.
I wonder if it's not so much where we look — but how quietly we listen.
Your way makes perfect sense. Thanks for sharing it — it’s fascinating how differently the mind whispers to each of us!
A great post Andrew. On a tangent, did you record this yourself, instead of using the substack voiceover?
I did. Not my best recording effort on this one, I was rushing to try to get it done between other things, but I'm trying to get it a solid few months of recording articles to see if it's appreciated. What do you think?
I think that the common belief is that personal recordings, video especially but I don’t see why audio would be different, are good in establishing a trusting learning / educational relationship. At least that’s what I leaned in the Flipped learning methodology. I thought your recording was good. And I appreciate the effort. My Amylodosis now means I have issues with my vocal cords. I’d love to have the automated voice overs as Substack has a good one but I must be housed on an old server as none of my stacks have it enabled. And support can’t tell me when or if it ever will be.