Perfect Memory = Perfect Inability to Forgive | House M.D.

Never forgetting anything can be a curse. A waitress with perfect recall starts suffering from paralysis and things are further complicated by her long-held grudge against her sister.

From Season 7 Episode 12 ''You Must Remember This'': A waitress with an extraordinary memory (guest star Tina Holmes) suffers a paralysis, and her recovery is complicated by an anything-but-forgotten grudge she holds against her older sister (guest star Claire Rankin). Meanwhile, House (Hugh Laurie) discovers Wilson's (Robert Sean Leonard) secret new companion when he tries to help him return to the dating scene; and Foreman (Omar Epps) helps Taub (Peter Jacobson) prepare for a medical exam.

This is the official YouTube channel for House M.D. Watch all of the official clips from the series, the funniest and saddest moments, and follow all of the doctor's most curious cases.

#HouseMD #HughLaurie

[lsedge]

Chase giving the ecstatic thumbs up from behind the glass while the patient is having a heart attack is hilarious.

[ronaldeliascorderocalles]

When you have perfect memory, you can see how much people lie regularly...

[RaynmanPlays]

In the end, it wasn't her perfect memory that was the problem. It was her obsession with every minor slight and her inability to accept other people's imperfect memories.

[buybuydandavis]

"But if you want to be special, you're gonna have to be alone"
Very House attitude.

[pmarreck]

When you have perfect memory you’d also remember ALL of YOUR f___ups.
You’d also be a perfect liar because your story would never change and you’d remember all the invented details to support your lies.

[TailsIsDisappointed]

I guess they took, "We don't forgive, we don't forget" too literally.

[niscent_]

progressively stopping to resent someone because the memory of what they did to you is progressively becoming more distant and cloudy is not forgiveness... it's called forgetting.
forgiveness is when you know and understand what someone did to you and stopped caring as much about it. often it happens because you value other things more than what was taken from you in that event. for example you value your friendship or family bond more and ultimately decide to forgive. it's also a form of forgiveness when you value your own peace of mind above it, refusing to let the other person live rent-free in your head.

her great memory being an expression of ocd perfectly fit this. it is not that she can't forgive because she remember all the bad things, but she's remembering all things because she's neurologically obsessed by them. in short, she don't forget because she's unable to forgive.

[Usedfood]

So, perfect memory means that she would remember the good things, too. That means she is fixated on the bad ones more.
Additionally, it is not solely her memory's fault that she has trouble interacting with people. In the scene in the diner, it is obvious that that woman wants her to move along and stop saying she had visited before.
The waitress can remember everything but can not remember social cues until an argument has started?
Edit:
I am aware that most people more readily recall bad memories. I did not say that was unusual. What is unusual and to her advantage is that she can perfectly recall good memories too.

[dangerpowers]

Perfect memory is called hyperthymesia - extremely rare. As of January 2024, only 33 cases have been confirmed.

[deathbossom]

Love that Chase grin and thumps up "thanks bro!" lol

[benderisgreatable]

Similar issue... The stronger the memory, the stronger the emotions tied to it; the more plentiful and vivid the details, the more years you remember, the harder it is to not think about every day. Many compounding factors. I'm glad most of you don't have memory like that. It turns the past into a black hole.

[Aslongastheravenflies]

Anyone else know that memory is subjective. They're all from her perspective. So yeah. They can be perfect, but only from her perspective.

[RedJoker]

Perfect memory is a double-edged sword.

[MsWinterlife]

I remember a lot of things in great details. It is true that good memory makes it extremely hard to forgive people who have injured you, but it also makes it quite easy to learn from past mistakes so that you’ll never get hurt by the same mistake again. Overall I believe that having a good memory does more good than harm, if we choose to remember the lessons and let the individuals fade over time.

[devansh]

Her problem is not that she cant forget, its that she cant forgive. Two very different things

[TheKrispyfort]

Forgiveness is an accounting term referring to no longer chasing after someone for restitution.
Writing off someone else as a bad debt counts as forgiveness.
Then you're free to take care of the damage they caused instead of wasting more time trying to get them to make you whole again.
Just don't extend those thieves any further credit.

Hope this helps someone else

[LunaStarBlade]

As someone with a steel trap for a memory, I will say that having such a good memory does make it VERY hard to forgive people. You look at them, and you're flooded with memories of them hurting you. I don't have a positive relationship with one of my older brothers because it's so bad that his very presence stresses me out and puts me on edge, and that lasts long after he leaves.

[jonsweeney]

Oh hey, thats where that chase gif is from.

[akanksha]

Every single time in Dr House
patient: What does it mean?
Them: That we still don't know what's wrong with you.

[EnglishInfidel]

She would have learned long ago not to snitch on customers. "Oh you were here before with some other guy!" Lol good writing as usual 😩