The Unexpected Value of Forgetfulness During Change
Created at: June 17, 2025
A bad memory is a good thing in times of change. — African Proverb
Wisdom in African Proverbs
This African proverb asserts, with simple elegance, that poor memory can be advantageous when faced with periods of upheaval. Like many proverbs from the continent’s oral tradition, it distills generations of collective experience into a single, thought-provoking line. In times of transition—whether social, personal, or communal—the ability to let go of what came before may prove more valuable than clinging to the past.
Letting Go to Move Forward
As circumstances shift, old routines and attachments can hinder adaptation. Holding too tightly to outdated memories may lead to longing or resistance, making it harder to embrace new realities. In this sense, a ‘bad memory’—or the selective forgetting of former habits—can function as a kind of personal liberation, opening space for growth and flexibility as the world changes.
Historical Examples of Adaptive Forgetting
Throughout history, cultures undergoing major transitions have often thrived when they set aside the past. For example, post-apartheid South Africa relied partly on collective amnesia, emphasizing reconciliation over retribution to build a new national identity. In a similar vein, immigrants and refugees frequently find resilience not by remembering all they left behind, but by focusing on the present and future possibilities.
Psychological Insights into Forgetting
From a psychological standpoint, forgetting is not merely a flaw but a coping mechanism. Sigmund Freud theorized that repression and forgetting traumatic events could help individuals manage anxiety and adapt to new circumstances. Contemporary research supports the idea that selective memory loss helps people reframe difficult transitions and reduce emotional distress, reinforcing the wisdom of the proverb.
Embracing Change With Optimism
Finally, the proverb encourages a positive, forward-looking attitude. By allowing memories of past hardships, failures, or familiar comforts to fade, people make space for optimism and creativity. As African oral traditions often suggest, resilience lies in adaptability. In times of change, sometimes the greatest strength comes not from remembering, but from bravely and cheerfully forgetting.