They say memory is the first thing to go. The second thing to go is memory.

The line is a compact joke built on a familiar saying about aging: that “memory is the first thing to go.” By immediately repeating “memory” as the second thing to go, the speaker performs the very lapse the proverb describes, turning decline into self-referential humor. The wit depends on timing and circular logic: the mind tries to list losses in order, but forgets what it has already said. Beyond the punchline, the quote reflects a common comedic strategy for discussing anxiety-provoking topics—aging, cognitive change, mortality—by making them momentarily manageable through laughter and recognition.