Megan Garber considers what the Internet is doing to our memory:
Its capacities and ours are misaligned. We little humans are defined by our (sometimes painfully) selective memories; the web is defined by its promiscuity. It doesn't sleep; it doesn't process; it never, never rests. … It's telling that people diagnosed with hyperthymesia have described their limitless memories not as blessings, but as burdens — ones that are "non-stop, uncontrollable, and totally exhausting." Near-perfect recall of their experiences doesn't make these people smarter; it makes them miserable.
But doesn't the Internet mean we can afford to forget more? Because it's taking notes. Philip Bumb is on the same page:
We should turn the Web into what the brains should be — an infinite resource for information we want — rather than dulling the Web into what our brains are.
The Dish 