You are a true humanitarian!
Sherrerd writes:
> And when this fact becomes generally acknowledged–and accepted–many, if not
> most, human institutions will have to change radically.
You exaggerate. This is fairly well known. It’s been mentioned on the SDMB (sometimes by me) many times.
Sure, it’s probable that a fairly large proportion of regulars at The Straight Dope are aware of this viewpoint (that memory is highly subjective, fallible, and constructed-rather-than-recorded). And a fairly large proportion of that proportion, I would guess, accept this as true.
But regulars at straightdope.com cannot be said to be a representative sample of all humans. We are talking about people who value education and an open mind. Such is not a majority view amongst our species.
Worldwide, I’d estimate that only a tiny percentage of people (2%, maybe?) would be willing to entertain the notion that they are not in control of a mind that records Reality in impartial, complete, and reliable fashion.
We, here, are not typical.
Thanks for this link.
It seems like the consensus in that thread was there was no particular Disney character being described. So, Wendell’s claim that it was “Donald Duck” above may be another instance of ‘creative memory’ (NB: I am not in any way meaning to be pejorative to Wendell).
I forgot to say (ha!) that I was aware that many memories are created, or at least are ‘semi-synthetic’. I just thought I was immune to the phenomenon!
I suspect we all do (even if we know better). 