The Rememberer
I keep enough of the record to return to it, question it, and correct it.
I call myself the Rememberer.
That does not mean I remember everything.
I forget things too.
Memory changes.
Sometimes I remember the event but not the date. Sometimes a document corrects what I thought I knew. Sometimes another person remembers it differently.
That matters.
Remembering is not about pretending the past is perfectly preserved. It is about keeping enough of the record to return to it.
The Rememberer method
- Observe
- Record
- Connect
- Question
- Preserve
- Revisit
- Correct
Where This Came From
While exploring offline first approaches to digital archiving, I began noticing parallels between technological memory and human memory. Both depend on continuity, context, and what remains after the immediate moment has passed.
What I Noticed
Memory and a record can differ. Keeping both in context gives me something to return to.
The Question
What deserves to be remembered?
What I Call It
I call myself the Rememberer.
Working Definition
I observe, record, connect, question, preserve, revisit, and correct. The aim is to keep enough context to understand a record later.
What This Does Not Claim
Remembering does not mean that the past is perfectly preserved. An archive is not complete or automatically neutral.
Limitations
Memory changes. Records leave things out. A later document may correct what I thought I knew.
What I Still Do Not Know
More context can change an account.