I've had a bunch of occasions lately to think about memory, collective memory,

individual memory, and when a thing is happening right in front of your face and

everybody just got done seeing it, it feels like well you can't

really debate that we all just saw the thing and then a few days go by and you're like no

no no no you can't gaslight me I remember the thing from a few days ago as it was.

But then a few months go by,

and that becomes more gas-slideable,

or more innocently forgettable.

And then a few years go by,

and memories start to clutter together and some dishonest desire for the history of how things actually were to be framed a little different or maybe even altered maybe

that kicks in if you really want to know what I'm talking about follow a bunch of

politicians on X or Twitter it is incredible to watch them lie about the things that just happened.

Some of us are like, but I remember the things and how they just happened, but many others

are eager to say, well, that's my party, and I happen to like this version of things.

It's a problem. It's an actual issue.

And clearly, it was an issue in the ancient world that is forgetfulness and

cultural re-rememempering and reframing and that is why so much of the early Akemin and empire has language and motifs and images and artifacts surrounding it that are all about historical memory.

Remember what Darius did? He carved the whole story of

everything about how he became king and how they defeated the shapeshifter

Magus guy who was impersonating Bardia and Darius and his friends

were the only ones who had the courage to defeat the lie and then there are

warnings in that behustin inscription on the side of the lie and then there are warnings in that behustin inscription on the side of the mountain in modern day

...