What is the true value of having a good memory?
It would seem that the use of our memory is nearly obsolete in 2025. Our Apple Maps tells us where to go, our Google Calendars remind us of our schedule, our iPhone contact list keeps all of our phone numbers and friends in one convenient spot. Why would we ever need to memorize anything when we have all of these wonderfully useful tools?
In fact, why think at all anymore? All of the answers to life’s greatest problems are a prompt away on ChatGPT. We carry with us a tireless teacher that needs no sleep, never forgets anything, and has access to all of the world’s information. Wouldn’t it be great if we could just focus on other things rather than thinking, maybe we’d have more time to watch Instagram Reels and scroll on Tik-Tok.
The dream truly is destiny.
While to you, an intelligent reader, these jests may seem obvious, millions of people have adopted daily habits that exemplify this very doctrine. Never before has the human mind so willingly atrophied its reasoning and processing abilities as right now, and everywhere around us we are surrounded by half-wits who are only making themselves dumber every single day. But I digress…
Memory was once revered as an art form, we can look back to the earliest mythological traditions of the world and see that they were passed down from mouth to ear for centuries or more before finally being brought to a written language. Imagine for a moment, coming across a man capable of reciting the entire Odyssey by memory. Imagine sitting around the campfire and listening for hours to the adventures of the captive king.
To a lesser degree, think back to your grandparents. They had the phone numbers of all their friends and family memorized, did they not? Addresses too more than likely. Yet our modern culture has sacrificed the strength of this muscle for the comfort of convenience and ease.
Have you ever met a man with a truly great memory? One who can recount tales from his past, draw from the historical record of mankind at will, and recite beautiful passages from the literature that has impacted him the most? You would not forget him. He would leave an impression on you and you would’ve perhaps felt as if you had been talking to man from another era, from another culture entirely.
Hope is not lost though, for the memory is a surprisingly responsive muscle, one that is eager to take on whatever load you give it and carry it with vigor. Your memory is already far better than you realize, you just have to wake it up.
I began to train my memory seriously around 4 years ago. Prior to this I had never really been forced to memorize anything other than a boy scout oath and perhaps the capitals of the United States. My brain, and it’s precious powers, had remained degenerate through my upbringing in the modern world as a modern man.
I started to memorize poems, speeches, and other interesting verses that seemed beneficial to my soul. At first, I struggled desperately as I learned to gain confidence in the inner workings of my mind for this purpose. Before long I had begun to realize that my memory was responding to the training just as any other muscle would. It was getting stronger and I was noticing.
Now years later I have pushed it to memorizing speeches of 30 minutes or so, and I am still on the journey to strengthen it even more. What I failed to realize at first was that when the memory becomes stronger, the entire brain finds new strength and all of its faculties become enhanced. Just as a strong arm assists in creating a stronger chest, the memories newfound strength finds a way to improve the overall function of the brain.
In brief here are a few benefits I’ve observed in my own life:
- Sharper memory
- Clearer thinking
- More vivid dreams
- Subconscious integration of the material memorized
Most importantly, when I am active in my memory exercises, I feel closer to my own humanity and the greatness contained therein.
A member of the Meriwether Study Club, meeting every Wednesday in Nashville, proposed a challenge to the group last week that I invite you to undertake, memorize the Declaration of Independence. I would recommend you first transcribe it into your own handwriting and then study from that.
You can find the document here
If you decide to take on this challenge I would love to hear from you about your experience, email me at Warren@MeriwetherAcademy.com and let me know how you feel!
Stay Sharp,
WARREN STEURY – FOUNDER MERIWETHER