*Ask Jen: Alotted Memory Edition

Nic left a comment pondering her lack of ability to reference songs released in her adulthood. She ended with the query, "Jen, does the brain undergo some change at the age of 18?"

The brain does not undergo any changes at this time, but a person's life normally does. At 18, most people graduate from high school and either enter college or the workforce. Priorities change. You have to become more self-sufficient. You spend more time working and less time lying around with the radio on. Your supervisor is inexplicably less impressed with your knowledge of Queen lyrics than your lunchroom tablemates had been.

Adults generally have other things to keep straight besides which Bon Jovi album had the song "Never Say Goodbye" on it. (Slippery When Wet, 4th single.) So their memory focuses on things that are more important for them to remember. Some adults find music to be just as important to them as it ever was...but the rest of us start focusing on other things. Our available memory is used up by those other things.

Do you have a question for me? You can e-mail it. If I know the answer, I'll answer it. If I don't know the answer, I might make something up.

Posted by Jennifer at August 6, 2008 09:00 AM | TrackBack

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