Memory-erasing Drugs

"Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” is a movie starring Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet. In the film, the two get along in the beginning of their relationship, but then begin to have problems. Clementine, played by Kate Winslet, erases all memory of Joel, played by Jim Carrey. Upon discovering this, Joel decides to undergo the procedure himself.

The film’s plot is about erasing memories, good or bad, that cause one pain. The movie rouses a question - did erasing their painful memories really make them feel better?

As the film journeys through Joel’s memory erasure, it becomes evident that there were many memories that Joel should have kept. Even Joel’s subconscious realizes this and it strains to keep some memory of Clementine. However, it was useless. But still, there are many people who want to have memories erased just like the movie.

A big motivator for erasing memories is post-traumatic stress disorder. Veterans or assault victims who live a life plagued by painful memories want their memories erased, desperately. Without the memories there would be no PTSD or needless suffering.

Erasing one’s memory could be seen as his or her right as well. It doesn’t affect others much, unless the memories erased involve them. People wouldn’t want to erase a part of their past without cause. Many would undergo the treatment and be able to start afresh.

It has, however, been met with opposition from some scientists and citizens alike, claiming that the medicine that helps to erase memories should be banned. A psychiatrist says doctors shouldn’t be fooling around with a person’s memory. Erasing memories means changing people’s identities, and this has spurred controversy about what ‘being human’ means.

Without memories of our past, we cannot learn from our mistakes. In the movie “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind,” Joel meets Clementine even after both of their memories have been erased. They may even go through the same process again without knowing it. If we delete a tormenting memory, to rid ourselves of the pain, there is no certainty that it would not happen again. So, trying other means of recovery seems best.