My biggest fear. The nightmares I had for years after reading. They returned, years later, when observing Alzheimer's from up close, in family members. No way out, no cure. Memory, reasoning capabilities, character, everything that makes you yourself decline, disappear; you're still breathing, but you're more dead day after day. And then, when you stop being aware of all that... does it make it better? or worse? I don't want to imagine this.<p>Two follow-ups: "Rainbows End" by V. Vinge. Maybe there'll be a cure. Or "Choosing to Die" by Terry Pratchett. Maybe there's no cure and there won't be. At least, you can decide to go on your own terms, as a person still, not a vegetable yet.
This story is part of the reason I'd never want to know about where I land intelligence wise compared to other people. No matter the outcome, I don't think it could be good. I it's below average, I'll feel limited. If it's above average, I'll have added pressure of self expectations and maybe arrogance. That's not the case for everyone, but I'm happy where I am currently.<p>Back to the story - the use of grammar and spelling that progress throughout the story is so simple, but such a great way to portray his progress aside from the content of the story.
I remember reading the story for the first time and my feelings of pity and horror when the protagonist's decline began.<p>With lifespans increasing, many of us will have Charlie's experience.
The first book I couldn't put down and had to read in one sitting. It may be the origin of my fear of mental decline, which is much more horrific than death to me.
"I now begin the journey that will lead me into the sunset of my life."<p>Regardless of one's political opinion of Ronald Reagan, his letter announcing his Alzheimer's diagnosis is relevant and poignant.<p><a href="https://www.reaganlibrary.gov/reagans/ronald-reagan/reagans-letter-announcing-his-alzheimers-diagnosis" rel="nofollow">https://www.reaganlibrary.gov/reagans/ronald-reagan/reagans-...</a>
It's interesting to compare this story to the movie <i>Limitless</i>, which has a fairly similar premise, but ends on a positive note. <i>Algernon</i> seems to have more influence, probably because of it is fundamentally a kind of morality tale, but I actually kind of prefer <i>Limitless,</i> [0] as limited as its plot is.<p>There is something motivational about it, which is probably why there are so many YouTube productivity videos with the soundtrack. [1] I get the same feeling from <i>The Last Samurai</i> a book (unrelated to the Tom Cruise movie) by Helen DeWitt, which is about raising a genius child.<p>I don't know what the psychological effect is called, but there does seem to be something significant to the idea that it's inspiring to read about/watch extremely intelligent people flexing their intelligence.<p>0. The film is based on a book, <i>The Dark Fields</i>, which doesn't seem quite so positive, although I haven't read it.<p>1. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7BRQ9neSrw" rel="nofollow">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7BRQ9neSrw</a>
This is the original short story. I recommend that people read the full book instead or at least read the book first to avoid spoilers. It's at least as good as the short story but expands on the ideas and the story line significantly.
Same post two years ago, 210 comments<p><a href="https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=31875692">https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=31875692</a>
A friend of mine brought this book up when she finally went on ADD medication. At first she was like "wow, I can function!" Then she remembered reading this story and says she always fears the medication no longer working.<p>A classic, and increasingly relevant as we continue to push the limits of improving human performance and fixing sub-optimal neurological phenomena like depression and ADD/ADHD.
Tons of people scared of mental and other forms of decline here. Hey, I got news! It's 2024. We understand a fair deal more of how our biochemistry works. We have more computing power than ever, and it's going to be increasing thanks to the crazy amounts of computing power our latest AIs need. That means that we can understand even more of how our biochemistry works by doing exactly what each drug company is doing: running computer simulations. If your eventual decline scares you, it's <i>unlikely</i> that you can change your outcomes. But not <i>impossible</i>. It's still perfectly rational to find your peace in resignation, but it's not the only option anymore.
You will experience decline across many axis of your life as you age. An exercise that helps me accept this is to frame my identify in terms of things I will not lose.<p>- I like to hike, but what I really love is to be in nature and surrounded by trees.<p>- I like being funny and quick-witted, but what I really love is to laugh and see other laugh.<p>- I like to dance, but what I really love is to feel the rhythm of music in my body.<p>Obviously some of this is self-delusion (I'd also like to be young, strong and smart) but I find it helps.
I think FfA is a bigger part of our culture than we realize. I use it to describe the 12 hours between waking and adderall wearing off and most people track (a non-frivolous comparison).
Apropos essay from a recent segment of <i>This American Life</i>:<p><i>On Recognition, Caring, and Dementia</i>:<p><a href="https://anthrosource.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1548-1387.2008.00036.x" rel="nofollow">https://anthrosource.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.111...</a><p>Radio segment:<p><a href="https://www.thisamericanlife.org/823/the-question-trap/act-three-11" rel="nofollow">https://www.thisamericanlife.org/823/the-question-trap/act-t...</a>
Isn't this a grievous act of piracy? Daniel Keyes only died in 2014 so this story should be under The Holy Copyright (r) (tm) until 2089!<p>All repent and praise the Mouse!
I just finished this book.
I felt the author could have done more with Charlies genius stage.
Not sure why, that part just felt flat somehow.
The rising and the subsequent decline stages were really gripping though.
Like he was describing the thought process of a surprised friendly dog.
Id give it 4/5.
Really good story.
Daniel Keyes wrote a book in 2000 about writing the book…Algernon, Charlie and I…<p>The ending has the author talking to the scientists doing the research described in Flowers for Algernon.<p>Science wasn’t anymore put off by fiction than the scientists currently resurrecting the woolly mammoth (see novel Jurassic Park)…
Parodied by Always Sunny in Philadelphia S09E08 "Flowers for Charlie".<p>Also referenced by the TV show Lost:<p><a href="https://lostpedia.fandom.com/wiki/Books_on_Ben%27s_shelf" rel="nofollow">https://lostpedia.fandom.com/wiki/Books_on_Ben%27s_shelf</a>
I haven't read this, but I'm a fan of "But Never a Key," a song whose lyrics reference the story:<p><a href="https://dirtpoorrobins.bandcamp.com/track/but-never-a-key-deluxe-edition" rel="nofollow">https://dirtpoorrobins.bandcamp.com/track/but-never-a-key-de...</a><p><a href="https://open.spotify.com/track/5NXt7fGhxFGfU6h1m9x06A" rel="nofollow">https://open.spotify.com/track/5NXt7fGhxFGfU6h1m9x06A</a><p><a href="https://youtu.be/IFR06LNqJVs" rel="nofollow">https://youtu.be/IFR06LNqJVs</a><p>The album it's on (Deadhorse, by Dirt Poor Robins) is also excellent if you like apocalyptic cinematic rock with a sci-fi radio drama vibe.
I am currently reading the book (halfway trough) so I am not going to read the paper out of the fear of spoilers. I just want to recommend the book and say that the book is incredible, emotional roller coaster like nothing I have read so far.
When creating a business process, designing for resilience in the face of changing staff and resources, can be an objective. Perhaps it should also be prioritized when designing one's own life processes? Consider two elders, one with a long-standing practice of using written notes in their life, and one without. As their memories decline, one compensates with notes, and degrades gracefully. The other, loses life scope far more sharply. And by the time the need becomes pressing, adding such practice becomes difficult. Just something I ran into ~recently.
Like others, this story was very impactful on me (and still is).<p>Over the years, though, my understanding of “intelligence” has evolved and I’m of the opinion today that “it” is several independent (but not unrelated) things: the abilities to learn, to remember, to recall, to connect, to imagine are all manifest in different combinations to different effect. That complexity an nuance shows in people and explains so much.
As someone prescribed a medication that affects the mind, I remember this book haunting me for some time after reading it in grade school. Skimming it again today, that same fear returns. Dementia and/or Parkinsons will eventually take my mind from me. After having two grandparents pass away in the last year, I've come to terms with that part. But <i>when?</i> Will it be worse for me?
Daniel Hayes' only other published book is a non-fiction biography of Billy Milligan, a free man who walks among us, responsible for multiple murders; Billy's multiple personalities were neat to explore, particularly his alter-ego "David, the Keeper of Hate" [I can relate].<p>----<p>Algernon's funeral literally made me cry the first time reading, and still ruminates fumy tears to this day.
I can't underline enough how much this book impacted me. In ways that I'm fairly confident I do not understand. I certainly didn't understand the book when I was a kid, but it still stuck with me. I think it was my first real exposure to the trope of people being thoughtlessly callous to people on presumed worthiness.
This was the basis for the film Charly [1] (disclaimer: I've read the story but have not seen the film).<p>[1[]. <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charly_(1968_film)" rel="nofollow">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charly_(1968_film)</a>
This is one of my favorite books to think about recently.<p>Technology augments us and removes our ability to do things any other way. This can be good, but it can also be bad. AI will be the drug that turns society into Charlie. I hope it will last.
The movie "Charly" made from this book is good, and it's on youtube.<p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKcWihdna3I" rel="nofollow">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKcWihdna3I</a>
Check out the 6 album cycle that depicts the gradual degradation of dementia: Everywhere at the end of time by The Caretaker. A brilliantly imaginative work.<p><a href="https://youtu.be/wJWksPWDKOc" rel="nofollow">https://youtu.be/wJWksPWDKOc</a><p>Chatgpt: This ambitious project was released in stages (or "stages") from 2016 to 2019, across six albums, each representing a different phase of dementia. Through his distinctive use of manipulated pre-World War II ballroom music, The Caretaker, aka Leyland Kirby, explores the progression of the disease, from subtle early signs to the total disintegration of memory and understanding. The work is both an artistic exploration and an empathetic representation of the condition's impact on the human mind and memory.
tear-squeezing teen novel<p>PS When I read it was so fake when the then-genius protagonist (that is on above-human level) finds it oh-so interesting to talk to that woman-professor.
Great story, but terrible title. I'm not sure exactly what the point of a title is, but if it's to inform about what the story is, or entice, it does neither.