Death. PErmanent, irreversible, total loss of personal memories is the exact same thing as death as it is the utter loss of Self. What difference is there except that this meat shell that you inhabit keeps on metabolizing?
If it is total, then you would have a large group of people (your family and friends) deeply hurt by your complete lack of recognition, and you would feel zero emotion towards them as you cannot recall them. Better that you die after a week to set your affairs straight and cut your life off cleanly. To know that you will continue as some odd phantom, as nothing more than an aberration on your loved ones' lives would pain me more than the idea of death.
Like I said, a clean end with closure as opposed to lingering emotional torture with no hope of recovery for those I care about.
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