From time immemorial people have memorized
Bits and pieces of knowledge, sharp memories have been prized
Being able to commit facts to memory has been considered a sign
Of superior intelligence, our hippocampi are designed
To consolidate and retrieve information at the time of need
We learn, we remember, we recall pertinent facts indeed
*
In the current era, the millennia-old need
To remember data has dramatically decreased
With devices in our pockets we have instant access
To unlimited knowledge, we can address
Any question within minutes, therefore memorization
Is turning into a relic of the past, with limited application
We still need to understand concepts, still need to apply
Whatever we learn, but without semantic memory we can get by
*
I wonder how this would impact the memory structures in our brains
Would some areas shrink, would the neural networks of memorization intact remain
This along with an increasing reliance
On the constantly improving artificial intelligence
Would render us rather dull, I fear
Would our highest faculties begin to disappear?
*
Ah, I catch myself going down a rabbit hole
Conjuring up doomsday scenarios unlikely to unfold…
Then I see my high schooler still trying to memorize
Spanish language grammar rules for a test, and I realize
That the need to memorize certain facts would remain
As a species, we shall continue to form new networks in our brains
Passion...unbridled 