Blog 29

So as for my essay, I've decided to take a different direction from what I originally planned. Luckily the information that I wrote about previously can still tie into the point I'm trying to make. Either way, I started the intro paragraph and I know it needs some more work. My main point is that people shouldn't have their memories taken away from them because 1. its something personal and having them taken away is like having things we own taken away 2. it's an invasion of privacy, especially if it's stolen and 3. you need your memories in order to survive because without remembering, you can't learn, and if you can't learn, you can't survive. Here's what I've got so far (the italicized and underlined thing is my thesis):

If one were to ask a large group of people “What is one of the most important things in your life?” there would be a large list of things people would categorize as important. Depending on who you ask, there will be various answers due to their lifestyle, location, and many other influences in their lives. One common thing that every person can agree on is that they cherish their memories. Not many people would answer this question with “memories” simply because it is something they know cannot be taken away from them, unlike an object, and it is also not something that can be ruined or disappear like a relationship. Items such as a home, car, computer, baby blanket, or relationships with friends and family only exist if that particular object is still around. These things are special because of the importance they play in our lives. If we have no memory of these objects or relationships, however, they are irrelevant and their sentimental value diminishes. Memories are precious, and they help us determine what is truly important and what is simply material. They do not depend on the existence of other things because they reside within a person’s mind. Would the answer to this question change if memories could be taken away from someone as easily as taking candy away from a baby? In the episode “The Target” from Joss Whedon’s TV series Dollhouse, the dolls not only get their memories taken away from them, but are also also stripped of their basic human rights to privacy.