Dues Quote by William James
“If we remembered everything, we should on most occasions be as ill off as if we remembered nothing. It would take us as long to recall a space of time as it took the original time to elapse, and we should never get ahead with our thinking. All recollected times undergo, accordingly, what M. Ribot calls foreshortening; and this foreshortening is due to the omission of an enormous number of facts which filled them.”
About This Quote
Source Lecture: Psychology of Memory, William James, 1902
Remembering everything would overload cognition, making us as ineffective as forgetting, because time perception would be distorted by missing details.
In simple terms: Too much memory hinders thinking.
Key Takeaway
Limit information intake to stay effective.
Themes
memory
cognition
time perception
psychology
limits
Mood
thoughtful
inquisitive
Type
philosophical
psychological
When to use this quote
- studying
- decision making
- creative work
- daily planning
Key Concepts
Cognitive load
foreshortening
information overload
Questions to Reflect On
- How does selective memory aid problem solving?
- What strategies help manage information overload?
A Different Perspective
Human brains cannot process all details without losing coherence.
![“We have no clear ideas of the agency of [demonic] spirits, nor is it necessary. The Scripture says little to satisfy our curiosity; but tells us plainly that he is always watching us, and desiring to sift us as wheat. I believe we give him no more than his due, when we charge him with having a…” quote by John Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/c75/john-newton-6629_abundance_we-have-no-clear-ideas-of-the-agency-of_2907.jpg)
