--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The function of memory is not only to…" description: "\"The function of memory is not only to preserve, but also to throw away. If you remembered everything from your entire life, you would be sick.\" — Umber..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ecf/umberto-eco-313_entire-life_the-function-of-memory-is-not-only-to-pr_2298961.jpg" --- # The function of memory is not only to preserve, but also… ![“The function of memory is not only to preserve, but also to throw away. If you remembered everything from your entire life, you would be sick.” quote by Umberto Eco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ecf/umberto-eco-313_entire-life_the-function-of-memory-is-not-only-to-pr_2298961.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ecf/umberto-eco-313_entire-life_the-function-of-memory-is-not-only-to-pr_2298961.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ecf/umberto-eco-313_entire-life_the-function-of-memory-is-not-only-to-pr_2298961.jpg) > “The function of memory is not only to preserve, but also to throw away. If you remembered everything from your entire life, you would be sick.” [Umberto Eco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umberto-eco/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Memory selectively retains useful information while discarding excess, preventing overload. **In simple terms:** We forget to stay healthy. Key Takeaway Accept that forgetting is natural. Themes memory cognition psychology Mood thoughtful analytical Type philosophical educational When to use this quote - studying - personal reflection - therapy Key Concepts information theory neuroscience selective retention Questions to Reflect On - What should you keep? - How do you decide what to forget? A Different Perspective Over‑filtering can erase valuable lessons. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Entire life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/entire-life/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Memories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/memories/) [Memory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/memory/) ## Related quotes > [Part of the function of memory is to forget; the omni-retentive mind will break down and produce at best an idiot savant who can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/part-of-the-function-of-memory-is-to-forget-the-omni-retentive-mind/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [I want my whole life to be a great work of art, not just my art. 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But later in life good poets burn their early…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umberto-eco/i-think-that-at-a-certain-age-say-fifteen-or-sixteen-poetry-is-like/) [Umberto Eco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umberto-eco/) > [Followers of the occult believe in only what they already know, and in those things that confirm what they have already learned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umberto-eco/followers-of-the-occult-believe-in-only-what-they-already-know-and-in/) [Umberto Eco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umberto-eco/) > [“This has nothing to do with realism (even if it explains also realism). A completely real world can be constructed, in which asses fly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umberto-eco/this-has-nothing-to-do-with-realism-even-if-it-explains-also-realism/) [Umberto Eco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umberto-eco/) > [“…there’s nothing in this world that demands more caution than the truth. 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Anything, however trifling, may be of use one day. What matters is to know something that others don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umberto-eco/listening-doesn-t-mean-trying-to-understand-anything-however-trifling/) [Umberto Eco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umberto-eco/) > [They say that a cat, if it falls from a window and hits its nose, can lose its sense of smell and then, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umberto-eco/they-say-that-a-cat-if-it-falls-from-a-window-and-hits-its-nose-can/) [Umberto Eco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umberto-eco/) > [There are magic moments, involving great physical fatigue and intense motor excitement, that produce visions of people known in the past. As I learned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umberto-eco/there-are-magic-moments-involving-great-physical-fatigue-and-intense/) [Umberto Eco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umberto-eco/) > [All poets write bad poetry. Bad poets publish them, good poets burn them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umberto-eco/all-poets-write-bad-poetry-bad-poets-publish-them-good-poets-burn-them/) [Umberto Eco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umberto-eco/) > [There are four kinds of people in this world: cretins, fools, morons, and lunatics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umberto-eco/there-are-four-kinds-of-people-in-this-world-cretins-fools-morons-and/) [Umberto Eco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umberto-eco/) [Explore all 600 Umberto Eco quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umberto-eco/) ## More Entire life quotes > [“Love. Such a sweet, simple word. 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It took a long while for me to realize…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evelyn-skye/he-smiled-sadly-i-was-lost-from-the-moment-i-saw-you-on-ovchinin/) [Evelyn Skye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evelyn-skye/) [Browse all 1,704 Entire life quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/entire-life/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The function of memory is not only to preserve, but also to throw away. 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