[Dimension] No Storage Memory

Author: Wu Chaohui (JEFFI CHAO HUI WU)

Article Date: July 13, 2025, Sunday, 4:06 PM

Many people think that memory is a manifestation of intelligence; the more one remembers, the smarter one is. However, as I journey through life, I increasingly understand: I am not someone who lives by memory, and my thinking does not rely on memory to function. I do not "remember" the world; instead, I "understand" the world, and then, when needed, I recombine the answers I require.

I am not good at memorizing, nor do I want to rote memorize. Since I was young, I have known that things that are forcefully remembered do not last long and are not very useful. I would rather forget the complicated information and keep only the simplest rules, the most core structures, and the most fundamental connections. For me, as long as I grasp the underlying logic, everything else can be reproduced.

Some friends might say, "You write so many articles, how can you remember all these things?" I tell them I don't actually "remember" them at all. I call upon them on the spot. Just like today, if you ask me about something from over a decade ago, it seems like I haven't prepared anything at that moment, but as soon as the topic comes up, those images, phrases, and logic just seem to flow out, as if they are retrieved from some place I can't quite explain, instantly arranging themselves into a complete narrative.

This is not memory, but an ability to combine things instantly. I do not rely on my brain to stack an information warehouse; instead, I function like a radio station constantly tuning into the universe for data, like a radio. When I need it, I tune in; when I don’t need it, I leave nothing behind. I often say that I don’t have a good memory; I know how to “tune,” how to “connect,” and how to “reconstruct.”

Memory, in fact, is the heaviest thing. The more you remember, the fuller it becomes, and the heavier it weighs. A person's brain is not meant to be a warehouse; it is meant for reasoning, reacting, and creating. I never believe in the formula "more storage = higher wisdom." Because remembering more often means being more blocked. If you want freedom, you must empty out; if you want speed, you cannot carry too much historical baggage.

So there are no historical timelines, biographies, or mathematical formulas in my brain. I don't even remember phone numbers. I can't recall many titles of the articles I've written. But when I reopen those articles, as soon as I read the first few sentences, I immediately know why I wrote it, how I wrote it, where it came from, and where it was going. This is not memory; it is the trace left by structure, the flowers that logic itself has bloomed.

Once, someone tested me: "Suppose I give you 1,000 numbers and names, can you remember them?" I said, of course I can't. I didn't even plan to try. I told him, "I only remember 0-9, let the others find me on their own." He was baffled and didn't understand. I didn't explain either. Because I knew this was not something that could be understood through "understanding"; it was a completely different way of living.

My life is very simple. I don't take notes, nor do I write memos. I don't like "reminders," I don't like "to-do lists," and I don't set alarms. I don't rely on any external reminder mechanisms. I depend on an overall sense of rhythm, the intrinsic relationships between things, and the logical judgment of the present moment. I know what should appear; it will appear. What shouldn't appear cannot be retained.

Sometimes I wake up in the early morning and suddenly remember something, then I write an article in one go, with clear logic and complete content, more smoothly than others who prepare for a week. But if you ask me how I remembered it, I can't say. I just make myself empty, give space for that information to come, and then it arrives on its own.

"Empty" is not giving up, but receiving. "Not remembering" is not laziness, but lightness. This world changes too quickly; yesterday's knowledge may be outdated today. Instead of desperately memorizing, it's better to learn how to adapt. Rather than carrying a heavy burden while walking, it's better to walk empty-handed, going further and running faster.

I often feel that the brain is like a computer. If you put too much in, the cache gets overloaded, the system slows down, and it gets stuck. I never install plugins, nor do I open too many windows. I always close background processes, keeping only the most basic programs running. Others say I have the "cleanest" thinking system, not needing storage or memory, yet able to reconstruct at any time.

This is not talent, nor is it training; it is a natural choice. A choice to no longer rely on "remembering everything," but to believe in "retrieving everything." My brain is a reconstruction site in a cleared state. No archiving, but never lost. No burden, but always present.

Some people enjoy reciting classics, and some like to accumulate knowledge; I do not oppose that. That is their path. As for me, I take another. I only remember the fewest elements, yet I can write the most chapters. I walk the path of "complete wisdom" in a way of "no memory."