Thought Picnic: We will not be deprived of our memories

I beg to differ

Under the guise of misremembering with the advantage of being caught unawares in the heat of the moment or a discussion, you hear things that on reflection you know for a fact were never the situation when what is being referenced is recalled differently.

Oh, that we had the presence of mind to call out those things before they become the new narrative presented as the truth it never was. You do wonder if you are being taken for a fool or if the recollection is working in the assumption that you must have forgotten the reality that you experienced in full living colour.

How it really happened

The capacity of my memory sometimes amazes me, books and records of the senses in motion left apparently gathering dust in the shelves of the mind, at moments of deep thought and reflection get dusted off and leafed through to pages of an instant relived unmistakably as it is real.

It is against that vivid recollection that some seek a revision of the fact to suit a new narrative and press a point of view that is entirely invalid. If one were to look at this charitably, how we are being lied to and taken for dullards is expressed in their talking out of both sides of their mouths.

Our silence buys peace

The lasting effect of that sometimes-inadvertent deception is distrust and anger, for once again, you are discounted in the equation of things as inconsequential and irrelevant. Your restraint or occasion to the unfortunate absence of mind is taken as agreement and acquiescence. It ultimately comes to my writing to redress the false impression, it matters little whether it is read or not.

What we have been witnesses to, remains an aspect of our participation, that no one thought to ask how we were affected by it lends itself to certain cultural norms that appear to infer that time resolves things and children forget things. Nothing could be further from the truth. We compartmentalise and put things away to save ourselves from trauma, it is a self-preservation mechanism more than anything else.

We saw it all even if we did not offer an opinion then. When they think they have pulled the wool over our eyes, we see through it all, that the perfect is as imperfect as it is given to wilful corruption. What we excuse is for the sake of peace and de-escalation of the confrontational, the day we decide to challenge the presumptions, no one can be prepared for the shock of our clear perceptions.

Letters from over there

The terror of radio

BBC Radio 4 has been my radio channel of choice for decades, one of those discoveries I made by osmosis, an interest of a partner that I acquired as they expanded my horizons. Each of them through the years has brought something special into my life and worldview, I am grateful to all of them.

One night I was listening to the book of the week and what was playing as my senses got attuned to what was going on, was Stephen King’s Pet Sematary, just before going to bed? No thank you, I had to switch off the radio, my dreams are vivid enough without the need for inspiration or encouragement in the horror genre.

Stomach the discomfort

The day was a bit rough, a bit of abdominal pain, stomach upset and visiting the Detritus Throne more times than necessary with it in flow rather than consistency. Then I was choking on a drink of a fruit smoothie, I was seeing all again arrive at speed in the toilet bowl, I was just ready for a lie down and that was if I could keep in bed long enough before I was summoned to the court of nature again.

Usually, for my evening naps, I would go for BBC Radio 3 and classical music wafts through the air as I settle into probably 2 hours of sleep, but this time, I decided to touch BBC Radio 4 Extra and what a surprise that presented to my hearing.

Extra on the radio

First, it was something with the legendary and amazing Kenneth Williams, that distinctively unmissable voice with English enunciation that is always comical and funny. The dramatic effect makes for good radio, you cannot tire of listening to anything he was in.

However, what caught my attention and I do miss for long while was the British-American Alistair Cooke’s, A Letter From America by Alistair Cooke, he gave such an interesting insight into America by an Englishman resident there, the similarities and differences, especially in language where the homophones, homographs and homonyms are a veritable study in how we might speak the same English and yet be saying totally different things.

An insight on America

Alistair Cooke was present in the same place when Bobby Kennedy was assassinated and he was a witness to many 20^th Century events that he relayed weekly on BBC Radio for 58 years and now 1472 episodes are available to listen to on BBC Radio 4. However, a programme that includes an interview and excerpts from many broadcasts over the years was relayed on BBC Radio 4 Extra titled Alistair Cooke’s Century, you should start with this and then explore other episodes.

Sadly, of the many Englishmen that have gone to live in America, none have come close in ability or stature to give us a window on America as this great man. I guess the memory of that unique insight is one that would have me playing back many Letters from America. This would make for an enjoyable time.

Note: The BBC Radio X links are to live programmes when you click on them.