Eternal Sunshine of Your Spotless Mind. Would you?

[GwenRaiden]

I've always really enjoyed the main concept of the movie 'Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind'. I guess if you've not seen it, and want to see it, this thread could be a big spoiler.

I've watched it so many times and not only notice something new every time, but it leaves me continually pondering about the sci-fi element of would-you-wouldn't-you have someone deleted from your memory, presumably forever.

Thoughts? I guess if you were to have a part of your memory deleted, you'd lose a lot of what you've learned about people and relationships, be it through a badly ended relationship or even another kind of relationship, a friendship or part of your family, whatever. So you'd be sacrificing the memory of a whole person and what you've learned from your interaction with them, for a clean slate.

Would you?

I'm still undecided. Even though there are a couple of people I'd love to forget exist. Maybe I wouldn't give them the satisfaction. 😎

 

[Skanky Vamp]

Even though there are a couple of people I'd love to forget exist. Maybe I wouldn't give them the satisfaction.

How would it be giving them satisfaction? They wouldn't know you did it. And do you think it matters to them, one way or another, if you remember them? or if they think you remember them?

 

[GwenRaiden]

How would it be giving them satisfaction? They wouldn't know you did it. And do you think it matters to them, one way or another, if you remember them? or if they think you remember them?

I suppose I meant, like, by deciding to remove them from my memory would be giving them the satisfaction, is what I'd be thinking as I stroll down the street to Lacuna, Inc. for my appointment. I've gone this far, sort of thing. Someone is in your thoughts that much that they need removed.

 

[Skanky Vamp]

But isn't that just putting a band-aid on a gunshot wound? If they are on your mind that much does it not say more about the person whose mind they are on and why they are on it?

 

[GwenRaiden]

Hey, buddy. It's just supposed to be a hypothetical question, not a therapy session. 😵😀

I don't believe I'd ever be able to delete someone from my mind. Unfortunately. Have you seen the movie? What would be your suggested plan of action?

 

[Skanky Vamp]

Have you seen the movie?

No. I haven't seen the movie. A- Jim Carrey. No. And.. well.. that's about it. I just thought the premise was unappealing. For the reasons I presented. Jim Carrey.. Man up and get over it. I dont know why you'd want to have you memory removed to forget an ex.

I can see having your memory removed to forget some events that may have happened, and if the movie was about that then I might have seen it by now.

 

[GwenRaiden]

I can see having your memory removed to forget some events that may have happened, and if the movie was about that then I might have seen it by now.

That's an option! And a reason why I asked. It's more the sci-fi aspect of memory deletion I'm asking about; would you do it regardless of the consequences. The "someone" could be from any part of your life, good, bad or otherwise. Someone who, through meeting them, was the catalyst to such an event.

E.g. You, right now, this thread.

 

[Skanky Vamp]

Yeah but there is a huge difference between removing a former lover and removing a traumatic event.

 

[GwenRaiden]

But both can lead to the other.

 

[Blaze]

At first thinking of just the whole erasing an ex aspect, my answer was a categorical no. But now that I think about it, if ever there was a really traumatic event in my life that would cause a severe reaction like PTSD, than this might be a solution. In the end though, I don't really like the idea of having parts of my memory removed. I know memory is subjective anyway, but I like experiencing things for the way they are, and well, if you remove some of my memories I simply am no longer truly who I am.

 

[white avenger]

The price would be too high. Every memory that we have, every experience that we live through, every person that we meet, every tear that we shed, every time that we laugh, every failure or triumph, every moment of pride or shame, they all combine to make us what we are. Each memory builds on the one before it. Take away one, and the whole thing falls into chaos. I'm a long way from perfect, but I am, at least, at peace with my life, and I can imagine no gift or reward so great that I would be willing to risk that.

 

[Mr Trick]

No. I haven't seen the movie. A- Jim Carrey. No. And.. well.. that's about it. I just thought the premise was unappealing. For the reasons I presented. Jim Carrey.. Man up and get over it. I dont know why you'd want to have you memory removed to forget an ex.

I can see having your memory removed to forget some events that may have happened, and if the movie was about that then I might have seen it by now.

But its a very different Jim Carry from the one your used to seeing. Like you I am not a fan of his comic work but here he really transforms himself and is really good! And the film itself is just so inventive and moving, you have to see it.

On the question? No I wouldn't as painful as certain relationships or events can be in life I just believe than life is about learning and growing stronger as a result of bad experiences. Beside if you had good times with someone than why would you want to erase those memories? Whats interesting about the film though is how they present the service as quite a human thing with the Tom Wilkinson character seeming to really believe in helping people. Wouldn't be too surprised if something like it did happen the way things are going.

 

[thetopher]

Aren't we all made up of both our bad and our good experiences? If we edit our memories, even the worst, most heartbreaking ones, aren't we making ourselves less?

Less resilient certainly, less emphatic to other people's suffering perhaps? Less ourselves if we are defined to some extent by what we have done in the past.

 

[NightLady]

I watched the movie some years ago and I don't remember liking it much, but I may have been influenced by the horrible Italian title "If you leave me, I'll delete you"!

On the question, my first answer would be oh, god, yes! I would gladly forget a certain person and all the ugly things that happened, my life would be so much happier and easier... but then this would mean ending up asking myself "where do my sons come from??" lol

 

[NightLady]

GwenRaiden: "If you leave me I'll delete you!", haha, that's so random, I actually like it. You Italians are so threatening 😉

😵 Threatening...?

 

[Skanky Vamp]

Like you I am not a fan of his comic work

Why do you assume I am not a fan of his comic work?
Once Bitten, Ace Ventura, The Mask, Dumb & Dumber, Cable Guy, Me Myself & Irene, Bruce Almighty... then he did Sunshine and it was all downhill from that. The only movie with him that I've seen after that movie was A Christmas Carol and Kick-Ass II.

I've never seen The Majestic either, and the Truman Show sucked. The only 'serious' role of his that I enjoyed was Man on the Moon- because he wasn't playing himself.

 

[Mr Trick]

Why do you assume I am not a fan of his comic work?
Once Bitten, Ace Ventura, The Mask, Dumb & Dumber, Cable Guy, Me Myself & Irene, Bruce Almighty... then he did Sunshine and it was all downhill from that. The only movie with him that I've seen after that movie was A Christmas Carol and Kick-Ass II.

I've never seen The Majestic either, and the Truman Show sucked. The only 'serious' role of his that I enjoyed was Man on the Moon- because he wasn't playing himself.

Because you suggested that you wouldn't watch ESOTSM because Jim Carry was in it, and considering he had done mostly comedies up to that point than it was fairly reasonable to assume that. Also why are you pre-judging a film you haven't seen? I disagree clearly, The Ace Ventura movies are total pants with the second one being one of the worse films I have ever seen, D&D has dated, Cable Guy is a smart black comedy, but it works because Carry is reined in and isn't the lead, not seen any of the others you mention but they don't look great to me. And if you think that The Truman Show sucked then we are not going to agree on anything, its a wonderful film, you are so wrong!😛

 

[Skanky Vamp]

why are you pre-judging a film you haven't seen?

Where and when did I prejudge a film? You always accuse me of doing this or that, or you always try to put words in my mouth. I said I thought the premise was unappealing because I don't want to watch Jim Carrey in a serious role. Then you, the all knowing Mr. Trick, come in and make assumptions about me and my taste in movies. And yet again tell me what I HAVE to do.

And for the record, "why are you pre-judging a film you haven't seen" isn't that pot, kettle, black.. all you do is run your mouth about what you like and dont like but havent actually seen. "This movie is pants" have you seen it? "not yet but I read reviews"

 

[Mr Trick]

Where and when did I prejudge a film? You always accuse me of doing this or that, or you always try to put words in my mouth. I said I thought the premise was unappealing because I don't want to watch Jim Carrey in a serious role. Then you, the all knowing Mr. Trick, come in and make assumptions about me and my taste in movies. And yet again tell me what I HAVE to do.

And for the record, "why are you pre-judging a film you haven't seen" isn't that pot, kettle, black.. all you do is run your mouth about what you like and dont like but havent actually seen. "This movie is pants" have you seen it? "not yet but I read reviews"

Well I'm going to raise above your baiting and stick to the points. I admitted that it was an assumption but it seemed a fair one for the reasons I mentioned, and you were still pre-judging it, I guess we all do because we know what we normally like, I just thought you were dismissing a little easily is all.

Why would I call a film pants if I had not seen it? I had seen it and so was in a position to state my opinion. And whats wrong with considering reviews? That's what their there for.

 

[Skanky Vamp]

I'm going to raise above your baiting

this ain't no hook and I ain't baiting nothing, cause I certainly dont want to catch you.

you were still pre-judging it

No, I wasn't.

Why would I call a film pants if I had not seen it?

That's what I wonder all the time you do it. I just assumed you are so anxious to insert your views in everyone elses opinion of movies to prove you are some kind of movie connoisseur, but when most people talk about movies they've seen, they have actually, ya know, seen it.

The other thing I wonder all the time about you Tricky Trick is why you always have to call someone wrong because they don't like what you do.