When we think about reminiscing on our past experiences and our relationships with those closest to us, many people think about photos and videos as the medium through which we can relive those moments. While photos and videos are certainly timeless and important, people are losing touch with another important medium, our thoughts and ideas that we share with others! And where can we retrieve those from if the moment is long gone?
The answer is all around us. Today, people communicate more than ever before in human history through various apps, methods, and formats. You may not think of your social media posts as anything of significance, but it truly is the modern way of communicating with others.
New ways of communication create new memories
Since the Sumerians invented written language around 3000 BC, humans have been documenting their thoughts, ideas, and their daily lives. For the last few millennia, we have been predominantly writing thru physical channels. People would journal their lives daily. We were also writing letters and corresponding with others from around the world, writing books and novels, daily newspapers, etc. Today people most often go on their social media platform of choice, like Facebook or Instagram and share their thoughts, or write them up for a blog post, or send a private message via apps or SMS. You may have had a parent or grandparent who has a collection of mail or correspondence they have save from loved ones over the years. Wouldn’t it be great to be able have some fond memories to recollect upon years from now, aside from pictures and videos?
What Digital Memories should we save?
When it comes to what content and communications should be preserved, it is solely based on us as individuals to choose what made a profound impact on us or memories we will want to cherish for our lifetime. We are making memories and don’t even realize it most of the time, so wouldn’t it be great to capture what’s important and special to us?
Think about how we date now, or how we communicate with our loved ones. Dating apps are more popular than ever and we are constantly speaking with our loved ones through different means. We send social media messages, texts, and messaging through apps like Facebook Messenger or WhatsApp. Imagine being able to go back in time and read some of the messages we sent and shared. People today flirt, laugh at jokes, and send heartfelt messages to each other over the internet and through texts.
And when it comes to our children, we can have something worthwhile to share with them and reminisce on after they have grown up. Kids today doodle on tablets and phones, and we share every pivotal moment of their youth on social media to share with family and friends. Think about how precious it would be to have those memories protected and set aside for us to look at years from now. It gives us warm and fuzzy feelings to go back and revisit those special moments, so it goes without saying that we should be making efforts to save them.
Thoughts, News, and Communications are Precious Memories
It is undeniable that in this digital age there is an evolving need to preserve our memories and moments that we share with others through the internet and our devices. We are in constant contact with one another, but it is all too easy to have it all wiped away in an instant. Protecting and eternalising these memories will be the modern-day equivalent of saving letters and keeping diaries. Imagine how different the world would be today if our ancestors didn’t have the opportunity to look back on their lives. It is fundamentally human to want to reminisce happy memories from the past, so that we can learn from it and relive our most precious and beloved moments.
