mindwipes
Forced amnesia procedures
Mindwipes are fictional procedures that erase memories, typically portrayed in science fiction as forced or covert acts by governments, corporations, or shadowy organizations: The agency performed mindwipes on witnesses to maintain secrecy.
The term sometimes appears in gaming contexts for character resets or respecs that wipe learned abilities.
In casual use, mindwipe can describe anything that causes total mental blankness: That exam was a complete mindwipe.
Restore to original state
- clean slateRecord wiped clear
- tabula rasaUnmarked mental starting point
- fresh startOpportunity to restart unburdened
- rebirthSpiritual or physical regeneration
new beginning · second chance · reinvention · transformation · starting over · blank page · do-over · redemption
Eliminating stored recollections
- forgettingFailing to retain memories
- oblivionComplete erasure from memory
- blackoutComplete power loss
- fugueContrapuntal musical form
anterograde · retrograde · memory gap · memory block · suppression · repression · dissociation · blank slate
Coercive psychological manipulation
- indoctrinationSystematic uncritical belief instillation
- programmingWriting software instructions
- conditioningLearned behavioral adaptation
- reprogrammingAltering original functional instructions
hypnosis · reeducation · subjugation · coercion · domination · manipulation · compliance · obedience
Retroactive narrative revision
- memory implantDevice adding artificial recollections
- MatrixNineties cyberpunk franchise
- Men in BlackFranchise about alien-monitoring agents
- cyberpunkDystopian tech-noir fiction
neural interface · engram · Dollhouse · soma
Mental separation from surroundings
- repressionUnconscious blocking of thoughts
- PTSDChronic reaction to horrific events
- coping mechanismMethod for managing distress
- psychological defenseUnconscious self-protective strategy
blocking · denial · detachment · avoidance · compartmentalization · flashback · trigger · recovered memory
reset
Restore to original state
- clean slateRecord wiped clear
- tabula rasaUnmarked mental starting point
- fresh startOpportunity to restart unburdened
rebirth · new beginning · second chance · reinvention · transformation · starting over · blank page · do-over · redemption · liberation
memory erasure
Eliminating stored recollections
- forgettingFailing to retain memories
- oblivionComplete erasure from memory
- blackoutComplete power loss
fugue · anterograde · retrograde · memory gap · memory block · suppression · repression · dissociation · blank slate · memory hole
brainwashing
Coercive psychological manipulation
- indoctrinationSystematic uncritical belief instillation
- programmingWriting software instructions
- conditioningLearned behavioral adaptation
reprogramming · hypnosis · reeducation · subjugation · coercion · domination · manipulation · compliance · obedience · submission
retcon
Retroactive narrative revision
- memory implantDevice adding artificial recollections
- MatrixNineties cyberpunk franchise
- Men in BlackFranchise about alien-monitoring agents
cyberpunk · neural interface · engram · Dollhouse · soma
dissociation
Mental separation from surroundings
- repressionUnconscious blocking of thoughts
- PTSDChronic reaction to horrific events
- coping mechanismMethod for managing distress
psychological defense · blocking · denial · detachment · avoidance · compartmentalization · flashback · trigger · recovered memory
mindwipesmemory preservation
Maintaining ability to recall
total recall · memory retention · eidetic memory · photographic memory · remembering