I was going to write about Steve Forbes today. I started receiving a free subscription to Forbes magazine and I'm a huge fan of this guy. Instead, I saw something slightly cooler. It turns out that a study has been conducted which shows that beta-blockers can help erase bad memories from traumatic experiences. They tested a group of about 60 people and retested them after the drugs were out of their systems. The intensity of the memories was reduced. So while they were still there, they bothered the patients less.
Since I hate to fly...from a traumatic childhood experience, I think this could do wonders. While it can erase some good memories too, I think I'd be willing to take my chances. Of course there are people complaining about the ethical implications of taking such a medication, but the way I see it, I should be able to do what I want. I'd like to give some of these critics my bad memories. And then I'll see what they think. They'd probably be whimpering in a corner. Hopefully there will be a drug one day that can do this. Or a disk or something where I can transfer my memories. Hmmm... maybe I should patent that.
I guess the real question is whether these erase all bad memories. Or just dampen memories in general. I may not be willing to take a drug that can't target specific memories.
BBC News story (here)
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