Collective Memory and Communication

Collective memory is the shared knowledge or information of an event that occurred. This information is pulled from multiple people’s memories when discussing an issue or event from the past. For example, most people remember where they were or what they were doing when they heard the news of the Pittsburgh Synagogue shooting. I remember where I was when my brother told me the news and I remember the feelings I experienced when I heard the news. Many people know where they were and the feelings they had like me.

Collective memory is something that bonds people whether the memory is good or bad. It gives a sense of camaraderie between perfect strangers. This can be a tool used in many forms of communication. For example, journalists or writers are able to share their experience about recent news to interact with the reader. A reader is more likely to keep reading something if they connect to the story. Authors can use collective memory in books. An author can create character connections with collective memory within the story which may trigger a memory from the reader. In most jobs that involve communication, collective memory can be used to create a connection.

Design is another field that may use collective memory. Perhaps in a critique or a collaborative project, someone could remember a time when they saw a design that really sparked their attention and a couple other people remember that, too. This creates a conversation about their mutual interest in that design which could cause the designers to draw inspiration from the remembered design.

Collective memory serves as a tool for both communication and design. It can be a group of people remembering a small event or a group of people remembering a tragedy. Either way, people connect and share stories because of collective memory.

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