<p>The prompt is: Do memories hinder or help people in their effort to learn from the past and succeed in the present?</p>
<p>Memories are perhaps the most vital component necessary for learning from the past. Without memories generated from our experiences, future success would be difficult to achieve. Both historical and literary examples prove the necessity of memory.</p>
<p>Memories often have strong feelings associated with them. While some see this as a disadvantage to viewing the past with clarity, it's actually very beneficial when it comes to learning from mistakes. The first half of the 20th century was possible the bloodiest epoch of mankind's history. A tumultuous chain of wars and revolutions led up to World War II, the single most deadly war to ever take place. Even worse, totalitarian regimes like Nazi Germany implemented new technologies in genocidal ways. These events stained the popular memory of this era with sorrow. As a result of the memories left behind by this time period, humanity took action. The United Nations was established with the mission of preventing another catastrophic global war. Since then, the amount of violent conflicts worldwide has dropped dramatically. Thanks to memory, a positive outcome was achieved.</p>
<p>Memories are also a helpful tool on a personal level. In the novel Flowers for Algernon, the protagonist Algernon is a mentally-impaired man who enters a research experiment on an intelligence boosting drug. The drug soon transforms him into a genius, but with one caveat: the effects will vanish in thirty days. When Algernon loses his intelligence, he is at first distraught, but then remembers what incredible things he achieved while the drug still worked. His memories allow him to grasp that it was actually he who was responsible for his achievements. This memory-driven realization sets him up for future success.</p>
<p>Without memory, it's impossible to learn from the past. And without learning from the past, the future is put in jeopardy.</p>
<p>I know I made up the details for Flowers for Algernon (I read that book 6 years ago) but I don't think that would impact the score. Thanks for reading!</p>