Тонкое искусство пофигизма

           Asshedescribesinherautobiography,MyLie:ATrueStoryofFalseMemory,throughoutthe1980s,manywomenaccusedmalefamilymembersofsexualabuseonlytoturnaroundandrecantyearslater.Similarly,therewasawholeswathofpeoplewhoclaimedduringthatsamedecadethatthereweresataniccultsabusingchildren,yetdespitepoliceinvestigationsindozensofcities,policeneverfoundanyevidenceofthecrazypracticesdescribed.

           Whywerepeoplesuddenlyinventingmemoriesofhorribleabuseinfamiliesandcults?Andwhywasitallhappeningthen,inthe1980s?

           Everplaythetelephonegameasakid?Youknow,yousaysomethinginoneperson’searanditgetspassedthroughliketenpeople,andwhatthelastpersonhearsiscompletelyunrelatedtowhatyoustartedwith?That’sbasicallyhowourmemorieswork.

           Weexperiencesomething.Thenwerememberitslightlydifferentlyafewdayslater,asifithadbeenwhisperedandmisheard.Thenwetellsomebodyaboutitandhavetofillinacoupleoftheplotholeswithourownembellishmentstomakesureeverythingmakessenseandwe’renotcrazy.Andthenwecometobelievethoselittlefilled-inmentalgaps,andsowetellthosethenexttimetoo.Exceptthey’renotreal,sowegetthemalittlebitwrong.Andwe’redrunkonenightayearlaterwhenwetellthestory,soweembellishitalittlebitmore—okay,let’sbehonest,wecompletelymakeupaboutone-thirdofit.