Ayush Chaurasia - Week 15 - The Mandela Effect
Does Mr. Monopoly wear a monocle? Does Mickey Mouse wear suspenders? If you answered “yes” to either of these questions, you have experienced the Mandela Effect—neither of those characters actually wear those items.
The term originated in 2009 when researchers noticed that people commonly claimed that Nelson Mandela had died in prison in the 1980s, even though he was actually still alive. Since then, more examples of mass mis-remembrance have been occurring, whether they are misconceptions over the clothes a cartoon character wears or over a popular line delivered in a hit movie.
Remember that scene in Star Wars where Darth Vader says, “Luke, I am your father”?
You shouldn’t, because he never actually said that—Darth Vader actually said “No, I am your father.” Yet, most people familiar with the Star Wars franchise would insist that Vader began his statement with Luke’s name.
Defined as a “popularized phenomenon in which a group of people collectively misremember facts, events, or other details in a consistent manner,” the Mandela Effect truly is an interesting topic; there is no easy scientific explanation for why it occurs.
Some people believe that the Mandela Effect arises because the human brain tends to make up information to fill up small gaps in its knowledge, but this cannot explain how so many people tend towards the same misconception. It could just be that people are able to detect patterns in the things they see, which would allow them to make educated guesses over missing details. However, this makes no sense when considering the example of Mr. Monopoly—he does not have a monocle, and his lack of a monocle is in no way a ‘missing detail’ that a human brain would fill in.
Other people claim that the cause of the Mandela Effect is much more simple—misinformation spreading on the internet. If I see an edited picture of Mr. Monopoly with a monocle, I would probably believe it is accurate as long as it looks realistic, even if the real monopoly man does not have one.
Regardless of the cause of the Mandela Effect, we can still learn some things from its occurrence. For starters, it should not be assumed that public opinions are correct opinions; a majority of people may believe that Curious George has a tail, but it doesn’t mean he actually does.
The implications of this can quickly become more serious than misrepresenting a cartoon character—the fact that massive amounts of people are able to forget or misplace details so consistently indicates how flawed human memory truly is, even collectively. With this in mind, the importance of proper documentation and open access to historical resources becomes even more apparent.
https://miro.medium.com/v2/resize:fit:730/1*MZy5vdSrIWvhAiEgtZa2Ng.jpeg
The term originated in 2009 when researchers noticed that people commonly claimed that Nelson Mandela had died in prison in the 1980s, even though he was actually still alive. Since then, more examples of mass mis-remembrance have been occurring, whether they are misconceptions over the clothes a cartoon character wears or over a popular line delivered in a hit movie.
Remember that scene in Star Wars where Darth Vader says, “Luke, I am your father”?
You shouldn’t, because he never actually said that—Darth Vader actually said “No, I am your father.” Yet, most people familiar with the Star Wars franchise would insist that Vader began his statement with Luke’s name.
Defined as a “popularized phenomenon in which a group of people collectively misremember facts, events, or other details in a consistent manner,” the Mandela Effect truly is an interesting topic; there is no easy scientific explanation for why it occurs.
Some people believe that the Mandela Effect arises because the human brain tends to make up information to fill up small gaps in its knowledge, but this cannot explain how so many people tend towards the same misconception. It could just be that people are able to detect patterns in the things they see, which would allow them to make educated guesses over missing details. However, this makes no sense when considering the example of Mr. Monopoly—he does not have a monocle, and his lack of a monocle is in no way a ‘missing detail’ that a human brain would fill in.
Other people claim that the cause of the Mandela Effect is much more simple—misinformation spreading on the internet. If I see an edited picture of Mr. Monopoly with a monocle, I would probably believe it is accurate as long as it looks realistic, even if the real monopoly man does not have one.
Regardless of the cause of the Mandela Effect, we can still learn some things from its occurrence. For starters, it should not be assumed that public opinions are correct opinions; a majority of people may believe that Curious George has a tail, but it doesn’t mean he actually does.
The implications of this can quickly become more serious than misrepresenting a cartoon character—the fact that massive amounts of people are able to forget or misplace details so consistently indicates how flawed human memory truly is, even collectively. With this in mind, the importance of proper documentation and open access to historical resources becomes even more apparent.
https://miro.medium.com/v2/resize:fit:730/1*MZy5vdSrIWvhAiEgtZa2Ng.jpeg
Hi Ayush! I found the topic of your blog immensely interesting since I actually thought Mr. Monopoly wore a monocle and Mickey Mouse wore suspenders. I also remember how I feel this effect with so many different things, one of them being the spelling of the word “shudder.” For the longest time, I was convinced it was “shrudder,” reading the word like that in my head and literally believing all instances of the word were spelled like that. Since I used to often chat with my brother about our stories, I also got him to believe the word was spelled as “shrudder.” I was so shocked when I found out (years later) that I was wrong the whole time. Even while reading this blog, I was convinced that the image you included compared both Mr. Monopoly and Micky Mouse since I had checked out your blog the other day. I was about to comment on it until I scrolled down and realized it only compared the actual Mr. Monopoly and the one that displays the Mandela Effect. Still, I think it’s excellent that you included this image since it really shows how the monocle looks right with the rest of the character. If I saw Mr. Monopoly with the monocle like the image on the left, I definitely would not have questioned it at all. Your comment on the flaws of human memory being more serious is also striking to me because something like that could definitely cause people to antagonize others if they remember someone acting negatively when they really didn’t.
ReplyDeleteHi Ayush! I got both of your opening questions wrong; I appreciate how you construct such a compelling hook that immediately demonstrates how widespread the Mandela Effect is. It was extremely engaging to read your various hypotheses on the reason the Mandela Effect exists, as it also exhibits your personal passion for the topic. The breadth of sources and theories also shows how much care you have taken into crafting an objective overview of our current understanding. Personally, I believe that the Internet works both for and against the Mandela Effect by increasing the spread of information. Before, information could spread only as quickly as the mail, and the public’s adoption of new knowledge was much slower—public misconceptions would take longer to be corrected. With the instantaneous transmission of information, misunderstandings would cement and be corrected much faster. In addition, we grow more aware of the nature of mass culture, creating a shared acceptance of our limitations. In the example you provided of Curious George, I believe that people’s faulty attempts to recreate past memories is responsible for the belief that he has a tail. People’s memories are blurry and subconsciously use current norms to define their recollection of the distant past. I appreciate you for bringing such a fascinating topic to light.
ReplyDeleteHi Ayush! Your blog post on the exploration of the Mandela Effect is thorough and thought-provoking, diving into its origins and potential explanations while highlighting its implications for human memory and collective understanding. By providing examples such as Mr. Monopoly's supposed monocle and the misquoted line from Star Wars, your post effectively illustrates how widespread misconceptions can arise and persist within society. Your discussion of the phenomenon's name origin with Nelson Mandela's false memory of dying in prison adds historical context and helps anchor the concept for readers. You aptly consider various theories behind the Mandela Effect, including the human brain's tendency to fill in gaps in knowledge and the role of misinformation spread on the internet. This multifaceted approach encourages critical thinking and invites readers to contemplate the complexity of memory and perception. Moreover, you skillfully navigate the broader implications of the Mandela Effect, emphasizing the importance of verifying information and the potential consequences of widespread misremembering. By highlighting the significance of accurate documentation and historical resources, you underscore the value of preserving factual knowledge in a world where misconceptions can easily increase. While the Mandela Effect may highlight the fallibility of human memory, it also underscores the fascinating intricacies of collective consciousness and cultural influence. Overall, your analysis provides a comprehensive exploration of the Mandela Effect, offering insights into its causes and consequences while prompting readers to reflect on the reliability of collective memory and the importance of factual accuracy.
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