In this blog post, we explore whether memory erasure can truly be a choice that brings happiness, and revisit the meaning of love and memory through the film Eternal Sunshine.
Valentine’s Day, 2004. A man wakes up. His name is Joel Barish. It’s a morning like any other, but his head seems a little heavy. Waiting for the train on his usual commute, he impulsively runs to another platform and boards a train bound for Montauk, not his intended destination. On the beach there, he meets a woman named Clementine, captivating with her blue hair. They feel a strange attraction to each other and become aware of each other’s presence. Returning from Montauk, Joel happens to spot Clementine again on his way home and gives her a ride. They grow closer, sharing enjoyable moments together.
One day, Clementine comes by to pick up her toothbrush and discovers a mysterious package from the Lacuna company. She listens to the tape inside in Joel’s car, and to her shock, Clementine’s voice emerges, continuously listing Joel’s flaws. Both are confused. An angry Joel drops Clementine off by the roadside and returns home alone. However, a package from the same Lacuna company arrives at his house too, and the tape inside contains him speaking negatively about Clementine. The tape contained detailed stories, as if they had been long-term lovers.
Five days before Valentine’s Day 2004. In fact, they had been lovers. Clementine came home late after drinking and got into an argument with Joel. In a fit of anger, Joel said hurtful things to Clementine, and she packed her bags and left home.
Three days before Valentine’s Day. Joel goes to reconcile with Clementine, but she doesn’t recognize him at all. This is because Lacuna Inc. erased all her memories of Joel. Joel is confused by Clementine’s changed attitude.
Two days before Valentine’s Day. Joel learns that Clementine erased her memories of him.
One day before Valentine’s Day. Joel also goes to Lacuna and decides to erase his memories of Clementine. Technicians at Lacuna work through the night, deleting his memories one by one. And then, Valentine’s Day morning dawns again.
Lacuna, a memory-erasing company that deletes memories of specific people. This premise elevates the film Eternal Sunshine from a commonplace romance to a special work. In the film, Mary, an employee at Lacuna, quotes Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche’s maxim: “Blessed are the forgetful, for they get the better even of their blunders!” If we were to live remembering everything in modern society, we would likely go mad. Everyone has at least one memory they wish to forget. In that sense, forgetting can be seen as a defense mechanism that allows humans to live a little happier. That is, forgetting is an indispensable part of being human.
However, forgetting doesn’t always go as we wish. Memories we want to forget don’t fade easily, while those we wish to hold onto tend to blur. What if technology were developed that allowed us to control these memories ourselves? If advances in biology perfectly elucidate the mechanisms of human memory, a memory-erasing company like the one in the movie—one that completely wipes out memories of specific people—might exist in reality. It’s a topic many people have likely imagined at least once. This leads us to confront these questions: “Is it okay to erase memories?” And “Would erasing memories make us happier?”
The film presents one possible answer to these questions through the story of its two protagonists.
First, “Is it okay to erase memories?” Memory is mutual. Unilaterally erasing memories without the other person’s consent could be a form of violence against them or those around them. In the film, the Lacuna company sends letters to Clementine’s acquaintances: “Clementine has erased all memories of Joel. Do not mention their relationship to Clementine!” Unaware of this, Joel becomes flustered and confused by Clementine’s lack of recognition. Ultimately, when a friend shows Joel the letter from Lacuna, revealing the truth, Joel is devastated.
Erasing memories doesn’t solve all problems. Those around the person whose memories are erased must strive to preserve their memories. What if memory erasure became commonplace, and many people erased each other’s memories? We might face a situation where we must hide the truth from each other for a lifetime, constantly deceiving one another. This would fundamentally alter the nature of human relationships. If the convenient option of erasing memories becomes available instead of understanding and accepting each other’s differences, relationships risk becoming simplistic, reckless, and immature. Wouldn’t this inflict a great wound on humanity as a whole?
However, conversely, there might be cases where memory erasure is truly necessary. If someone suffers from trauma after losing a loved one or something precious, and that memory profoundly impacts their life, erasing it could actually be a form of salvation for that person.
Ultimately, what matters is the legitimacy of the technology. Technology provides benefits while simultaneously carrying harm. The memory erasure technology is no different. When Joel, learning of Clementine’s memory erasure, confronts Lacuna Inc. in anger, Dr. Howard responds: “Our files are confidential, so we can’t show you any evidence. Suffice it to say, Miss Clementine was not happy, and she wanted to move on. We provide that possibility.” Clementine wanted her memories erased, and Lacuna provided that service. But can the service of memory erasure be dismissed as merely a matter of supply and demand?
Memory erasure technology carries a significant risk of abuse. The scene in the film where Lacuna employee Patrick steals Joel’s belongings to approach Clementine hints at this possibility. If memory erasure technology were to become a reality, we must be wary of the dangers of a technology capable of altering the very core of human nature.
Next, let’s pose the question: “Would erasing memories bring happiness?” Setting aside the social impact or ethical debates surrounding the technology for a moment, could memory erasure truly make an individual happy?
The morning after his memory is erased, Joel impulsively boards the Montauk-bound train again while waiting for his commute, reuniting with Clementine. Despite erasing their memories, they are drawn back to each other as if by fate. Mary, too, falls in love with Dr. Howard again despite having her memories erased. This repetition is also metaphorically expressed in the film’s final scene. The sequence of Joel running on the snow-covered Montauk beach and Clementine chasing after him repeats three times. This suggests that even after memory erasure, an individual’s inclinations or likes and dislikes do not change easily.
However, memory erasure can also cause confusion in one’s identity. Just as Clementine wandered after erasing her memories, memories are crucial elements that shape who we are. After watching the film, memory erasure feels like a game of Jenga. With each memory removed, the tower of our self begins to wobble. And the moment the last piece falls, our self collapses. Can we truly be happy in such a process?
The film’s title, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, also hints at this theme. This phrase, borrowed from Alexander Pope’s poem, is a sweet expression, but in reality, it’s closer to an unattainable ideal. Our minds are constantly in flux, and memories leave behind both wounds and joys in that process. Possessing a spotless mind under eternal sunshine is ultimately impossible, and even if it were possible, such a mind would crumble easily at the slightest shock. Isn’t this far removed from true happiness?
The film Eternal Sunshine is not merely a romantic drama. Through the love story of Joel and Clementine, it conveys the truth that in human relationships, acceptance and understanding are more important than impulsive choices. This message resonates more powerfully through the sci-fi element of memory erasure. Joel and Clementine’s bittersweet and poignant story makes this film a truly special work.
