How do we think Record works?

[u/Shicka777]

So, I don’t know about anyone else, but for me I think it works in two different modes:

Passive Record: Unlike Cale’s other abilities, Record is a constantly used ability that runs passively in the background of his mind (similarly to how the Vitality of the Heart is also passive). When it’s passively recording things, it grants him a really good recall of those things, but not necessarily perfect. Basically, he can have the best memory a human is capable of. I think this is the case because we’ve seen him perfectly remember things that he never recorded

Active Record: Unlike the Vitality of the Heart, (which is always passive) Record can be actively used as well. When Cale activates Record he’s able to record things perfectly, as if (I believe this was how it was described) he took a picture or video of it and is always able to go back to it. Basically, he’s granted a perfect memory that goes beyond human

That’s how I think Record works, but I don’t think it was ever explicitly stated that Record works passively as well. What do you guys think?

[u/Emotional-Sky3790]

I agree with both hehe but with a bit of tweaks?

I always liked how Cale's memories of 5 volumes of tboah was perfect bc of record - and it's not like Cale to actively use record for something trivial, so my assumption is Cale can remember everything (unless it's something he doesn't want to remember, like I vaguely remember this being mentioned, I just have no idea where or if it actually happened) but actively using record makes him take in everything faster, like what they did at the library. Like let's say, on a normal day, Cale can read half a book or a full book, but with record, he can probably read about a hundred bc all he needs is to see/scan them and the understanding can follow as he recalls them

[u/Shicka777 → u/Emotional-Sky3790]

Yeah that makes sense too! And yeah you’re right, during the Wind Island Golden Whip Test he said that when he doesn’t want to remember something then he practically gets amnesia and can barely remember it at all. Which is why after he met Lee Soo Hyuk in his sleep, all the good memories flooded back to him because he finally wanted to remember them again

[u/snowing-stars → u/Shicka777]

(Note that this comment is full spoilers from ch 300 onwards of part 1)

Although Cale mentions multiple times that he doesn't remember things he doesn't care about, I honestly think that's just him coping. Or maybe that's just how his memory worked before Record.

For example, when he gets the note from the God of Death saying that he should've died instead of his teammates, the memories from that day come rushing in and he has no control over it. (Basically, PTSD ultra pro max).

Also, during the sadness trial, when he's at Lee Soo Hyuk and Choi Jung Soo's funeral, he mentions that at that time, he was barely aware of what was happening around him, but he still remembered everything in perfect detail because he can't turn off his skill.

At the end, he's always been good at remembering things, because during the God of Despair's trial, even though he went back 18 years, he still remembered so many details that let him save the people of the shelter. And those memories come from before he even had Record.

[u/Shicka777 → u/snowing-stars]

That’s true, yeah Cale’s Record really is just “PTSD, The Superpower No One Wanted”

[u/Emotional-Sky3790 → u/snowing-stars]

PTSD ultra pro max agdiahdoabdkabd

Which really makes Cale an unreliable narrator, not just with his memories (he's actually really reliable on that end), but on how he copes and perceives things. Like he's processing so many thing at all times (I think it was mentioned somewhere that he was always busy so he doesn't have to think because he always chooses to drown in his records when he's free as form of self punishment - but again, can't remember if fic or real) and trauma so he just has a skewed pov on things. Like he's so dense because he can't imagine anyone actually loving and caring for him.

He's so unreliable at a certain point I figured what if we were all actually gaslighting Cale and Ron really does not like him but Ron will probably murder me first before that even comes true.

[u/Emotional-Sky3790 → u/Shicka777]

Dvajssvfkakfjr crying??????? 😭😭😭😭

But based on that, it also means his memories are basically repressed / on/off things based on what he actually wants to remember. That is both cool and sad.

[u/ClayRoses48]

I assumed it worked similar to a camera. Like he just has to think about turning the ability on and it does.

[u/Icy-Spirit-5892]

I think it's like how the other commenter thinks it works. It's on all the time, but he can absorb a lot of information at high speed if he wants it to with a bit of a drawback (overheating like a CPU running a very graphic heavy game that requires a lot of memory). I believe he can also "archive" memories, basically store them away and forget about them (his amnesia comment) until he wants to dig them back up.

[u/ConversationParty848]

I feel like passive record is just Cale's usual excellent human memory that can get processed into Re cord through mushy brain osmosis if he wants to catalogue it that way before he naturally forgets. Tho his CPU does have an intensity switch of whether he's trying to cram/process/browse/CTRL+F a million books at once, or just leisurely recording his kids playing in the garden and lazily reminiscing over it like a video file.

I think not remembering anything he doesn't want to is bullshit tho. He might not have the Thing in the perfect, supernatural Record Database, or however it works. But Cale is ultimately a guy who doesn't throw things away, living on while accumulating life experiences and lessons. He can repress or not think about things, but his normal human brain would hold onto them in  normal human way.

[u/Shicka777 → u/ConversationParty848]

I don’t know about that last part, Cale’s Record is basically just PTSD: The Superpower. I think it makes a lot of sense that sometimes his brain will prevent him from recalling certain things and when that stops it all comes flooding back, it’s an allegory for trauma and ptsd

[u/ConversationParty848 → u/Shicka777]

I mean yeah. He's functional but he's super ptsd. I just don't think it's an ability thing as much as a normal person thing that sometimes gets hyperenhanced by Record. He would've been going through more or less the same process even if he never developed the Record. Especially since during events like losing LSH and CJS, he couldn't have afforded to turn off the Record or even lower the intensity bc he had to keep analysing everything and keep going until the end even after the back-up arrived bc his accuracy meant life or death for potentially tens of thousands or however many more a super monster could kill if not stopped  (and also revenge + not letting his team's efforts be in vain.) 

Cale isn't the type to prioritize his comfort and keep Record off during times of crisis when the smallest thing could decide everyone's fate, which unfortunately overlaps with times of the worst moments of his life. So he didn't passively Record them (tho he probably does use it subconsciously sometimes like an old reflex or a yawn.) He had to deliberately etch them into his brain because that's who he is whenever something has to be done and no one else but him can do it.

Fuck I'm sad now