Why can you remember what you were doing when catastrophes occurred?

Question

Why can you remember what you were doing when catastrophes occurred?

Answer 1

All of us who are old enough remember John F Kennedy Getting shot.

It's a photographic national  memory.  When I run into somebody

who was in the 8th grade as I was,  we all remember the same thing the teacher who told us the kids  and who were there too.  It's remarkable we both remember where each other of us were sitting in the class and everything.  Maybe our brain says print this, and it is remembered enough times that is an indelible memory.

My wife was awake and she woke me up on 9.11 and told me there was some interesting stuff on the news.  Yes, indeed there was,  I watched it in awe. The only thing that comes close to be remembered

as this is The Crucifixion of Jesus.  Some of us remember Him at least once a week.

Answer 2

The psychological term for that kind of memory is called a Flashbulb Memory.

http://www.brainchannels.com/Memory/emot...

Answer 3

On 9/11 It was like my 3rd day of 4th Grade I was in class and they evacuated us and it smelled like burnt rubber outside....well i'm 16 now, time flys.

Answer 4

Normal routine.Catastrophies dont inform beforehand.

Answer 5

I remember what happened when 9/11 occured.  If u mean something like that.  I was sitting in class..I think we watched it on the News or something.

Answer 6

Just like the first answerer, I was sitting in class watching the news with everyone else when 9/11 occurred.