Did Brian Williams tell a lie or did his memory fail him? We may never know. We do know that it is possible for people to believe strongly in things that never happened. Christopher Chabris and Daniel Simons, both psychologists, have written a very clear article that helps to explain that phenomenon. They also remind people how to avoid falling into the kind of mess in which Williams devastated his career.

Chabris and Simons. (2015, Feb 10). How not to be the next Brian Williams: Ten ways to avoid false memories. Slate.
http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/science/2015/02/false_m...

Ah Memory! This song says it all.

I Remember It Well

"We met at nine, we met at eight, I was on time, no, you were late
Ah, yes, I remember it well
We dined with friends, we dined alone, a tenor sang, a baritone
Ah, yes, I remember it well

"That dazzling April moon, there was none that night
And the month was June, that's right, that's right
It warms my heart to know that you remember still the way you do
Ah, yes, I remember it well ......"

Lerner, Alan Jay / Wwill, Kurt Lyrics@Warner/Chappel Music, Inc.