All In The Mind Brain Rot: What is tech doing to your memory?
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Sep 27, 2025 Dr. Julia Soares, an Assistant Professor of psychology, explores the complex relationship between technology and memory. She discusses how excessive photo-taking can impair recall when not revisited. Julia reveals that relying on Google alters both knowledge retention and confidence. Guest Morris Villaroel shares his 15-year life-logging journey, while Max narrates how he used ChatGPT to regain lost memories through structured reflections. Together, they advocate for mindful tech use, emphasizing the importance of intentional memory aids.
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Everyday Memory Is Moving To Devices
- We outsource birthdays, to-do lists, shopping and episode notes to phones and apps.
- This widespread delegation changes what and how we remember.
Scale, Not Just Tools, Changed Memory
- Smartphones massively increased the scale of what we can record and access.
- That scale shift, not just the tools, is a core reason memory and cognition are changing.
Internet Access Inflates Confidence
- Relying on Google can blur the line between what we know and what we can access.
- This leads people to overestimate their unaided knowledge and feel more confident than justified.