Fake Memories: Difference between revisions

* In ''The Traveler in Black'', [[John Brunner]] uses this in one city; an evil magician takes a seat on the city Ruling Council, the better to cause the citizens to make a choice that will increase Chaos in the area. His plan includes implanting [[Fake Memories]] that he has always been a member of the Council himself in the rest of the Council members.

* As a side effect of making the subject [[Ret-Gone]], the [[Sword of Truth|Chainfire]] spell falsifies memories of events that included the subject. Naturally, the characters hanging around with Richard, who was immune to the spell's effects, think ''his'' memories are the fake ones.

** A more traditional example was featured in the same book where it's revealed via Pensieve flashback that {{spoiler|Voldemort framed his uncle Morfin for the murder of the Riddles by committing the murders with his wand and magically implanting the memories of the murder in Morfin's mind so that ''he'' believed he had killed them. When the authorities arrived, Morfin confessed to murder on the spot, proved it by giving details only the murderer would know and showed them his wand as proof. He was then sent to Azkaban and Dumbledore only managed to find the real memory through a very powerful Legimency spell which he used on Morfin near the end of the latter's life. The same with the house elf Hokey, made to think she accidentally put a rare poison in her mistress Hepzibah Smith's tea.}}

* A peculiar version occurs in Orwell's ''[[Nineteen Eighty-Four|1984]]'': the citizens of Oceania alter ''their own memories'', in a way, whenever the Party [[Retcon|RetCons]] the past. Through the process of doublethink, they can recall past events if need be (hence, if the Party "tells" them to).

** -and of course, recall the previously forgotten and forbidden memory when required by the party to do so. The definition of 'doublethink' and a common ability of non-fictional political animals. One of the points of the book. Monday: 'We are at war with Eastasia and have always been at war wih Eastasia'. Tuesday: 'We are at war with Eurasia, and have always been at war with Eurasia'.