Can memory be unreliable?

Memory can indeed be unreliable. Jim O'Shaughnessy discusses how memories are not like encapsulated objects but are instead reassembled each time we recall them. This reassembly process often involves updating memories with new information, leading to distortions 1 2 .

He also notes that our brains do what he calls a "kindness" by updating our memories to align with our current beliefs and understandings, which can result in significant memory inaccuracies 3 . This inconsistency is part of the broader issue of humans being "unreliable narrators," confabulating stories about themselves and their experiences 4 .