The Detroit times., 1917-07-30
Things We Forget
nv w. NDDINCTON ,nHUCE
Author - "rhe Riddle 90 Person
atty Fs choiogy and
psrrnthood etc.

Modern chology has deyeloped
some interesting and remarkable "a
plantations for uncommon mental
phenomena bu' none more interest
INK or remarkable than me so.called
FreudIan explanation FOR the com.
mon phenomenon OF forgetting PEG
pies names. forgetting appoint.
meuts. etc
When We forget a proper name
that We ought 90 DE able 10 recall
when W. forget 20 keep an appoint.
ment when We forget the where.
ahouts OF some document or article
hat We perhaps have carefully put
aside for safekeeplng. our forgetful
ness Is OF course annoying 20 uk But
most of rs would not attach any
special significance 20 A.
Our feeling would DO that We
merely happened 10 forget no name
appointment. or article Not so
says the Austrian psychologist. Dr
Sigmund Freud
such forEettuness. he declares IS
The result OF a secret. suhconscious
desire % forget
For one reason or another M
name. appointment or article In
question is connected IN our mind
with something unpleasant 20 ua
We DO not Wish 20 have 10 think 81
Ibis and We avoid thinking ~ it
BY tho convenient meanf ~ forget
ting tho hing that would remind US
OF H.
n - not that We Intentionally FOR
get We forget simply and quite m
Willingly In order the better 20 AZ
tain what pr Freud calls the obi.
viscence az the disaEreeahle
There can be no doubt that this
explanation holds good IN An aston
ishing number % cases Il may not
hold good with the uniyerSality
claimed for il hy Freudisn psychol
ogisis But Us soundness can often
be demonstrated
And ANYBODY csn test y for him
self BY a little patient self analysis
The next time, FOR example. that
you forget 20 keep An appointment
AZ down and rigidly scrutinize thr
IDEAS hat come into your mind
when you concentrate on Tho
thought Of the appointment you
have not kept
~ the same with forgotten
names. mls'aid articles. and he
Ike The chance Is strong that
Won will ultimately End 'uocon.
scious motive Tor the forgetting
frequently the motive VIII he
found almost on the very surface 81
your consciousness
T. ia question. say. - an ap
po.nfment with your dentist You
were 70 have visited him AZ ~
O'Clock A. II YOU suddenly re
member hat YOU have not been near
him
Your foreetfulness N this casa
will cost vow some money fo1 WI!
have % pay tor The appointment
won failed 20 keep
Pu- also your forgetting m keep
it enabled WOW 20 avoid expected
pain
Ia there rot logical nbconsoiou'
rrotive for voIr forgetfGlness ~
fhfs Instance Moreover does II
nor .ugFes' thar YOU p"fhaps ar
somewhat coRardIs az ans rate
whore de1Hsts ore concerned
Mental ANALYSIS ~ gch memory
lapscs. In fact is sometimes really
vsrahIp a. revcaier - character
whom me Freuaian principle of sub
conscious motives is Kept In sic"
ana omeimcs it reveals ne true
s-tftedc ~ other people toward rs
A. one American psychologist Or
s R~ll haas 'ersely observed
"a lover never misp.aces leii'i
from his sweAtheart. nor does ~
rnil4ay or forget 20 III leAaet
written 90 her
NQt that I personally would in
d6rSc no FreIdian explanation IN
whole Much forgetting as see IT,
Is due Simply ~ lnadequacy OF ne
mental impressions originally made
hy The hing forgotten
Bur 10 certainly h important 70
recognize that n any specific 10
stance 90 forgetfGlness suOcon
scious motlv. for forgetting may 40
tualIv he mo- cause that makes vs.
forget Recognizing this, We car
gain greater knowledge regarding
both ourselves and other people.
Parcels sent 20 prisoners Of war
abroad mostly in Germany averaged