Memory King

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The King Who Wasn't There

Thomas Collins | History Today | 18th April 2023

For centuries, medieval Europeans believed in the existence of a Christian monarch named Prester John — sometimes described as "a descendant of the Magi" — who ruled over a distant kingdom. It began with some 12C forged letters but soon became a powerful piece of propaganda turned to different uses, as states falsely claimed to have made contact with this imaginary figure (2,725 words)

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You Have A New Memory

Merritt Tierce | Slate | 16th April 2023

Is the internet reading our minds? Perhaps not, but the uncanny replication of our ideas by targeted ads inspires doubt. "I don’t think we’ve evolved enough to handle being aware of as much as the internet makes it possible for us to be aware of, which is another circuit-breaker, as we have evolved enough to feel like it’s important to be aware of everything it’s possible to be aware of" (6,436 words)