GoKawiilAuthor details 2024 essay on memorizing pi's first 100 digits using PAO memory technique
A writer recounts memorizing the first 100 digits of pi three years ago after reading Joshua Foer's 'Moonwalking with Einstein.' They used a person-action-object (PAO) system, a memorization method that pairs pairs of digits with vivid mental images of people performing actions on objects, building on the classical method of loci or memory palace technique.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
The piece illustrates how memorization, often seen as an innate talent, can be broken down into a learnable, systematic skill through elaborative encoding. This has broader implications for education, cognitive training, and how people might approach learning large amounts of abstract information like numbers or facts.
- Human memory struggles with abstract data like digits but excels with vivid, meaningful associations.
- The PAO (person-action-object) system converts numbers into memorable visual stories.
- Memorization can be treated as an engineering problem solvable through structured technique and practice.
Moonwalking with Einstein by Joshua Foer — This is the very book that sparked the author's memory experiments described in the article. It's a fascinating, accessible read on memory techniques like the memory palace, perfect for anyone curious about turning memorization into an engineering problem.
See Moonwalking with Einstein by Joshua Foer on Amazon → Affiliate link — we may earn a commission on purchases, at no extra cost to you. Product picked by AI based on this article; it is not a tested recommendation.Source: gregorygundersen.com — Gregory Gundersen, 2026-09-21
Published there as: “Engineering Memory: On learning to memorize first 100 digits of pi (2024)”
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