The “Mandela Effect”: Reality or collective false memory?
Is it true that we are living in a multiverse?
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We will start this week with a story focused on the “Mandela Effect” theory. We will primarily explain what is it, how it got viral and what psychologists have had said about it. We will be delivering the story in two formats, visual and text.
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The “Mandela Effect”: an online subculture positing the world isn’t what it always was
Have you ever watched a movie and recall to have seen a scene in a specific way, but now it is totally different?
Or heard the news about a celebrity passing away but you remember hearing months ago or even years before that the celebrity had died?
Turns out you’re not alone, and you’re probably not the only one remembering those events in that way. Hundreds or even thousands more might remember that similar news item or movie scene. People who get together online to discuss these memories call it the theory of the Mandela Effect. It’s become one of the most popular and intriguing online conspiracy theories yet.
▶️ Watch my video about the Mandela Effect
What is the Mandela Effect?
According to Healthline, this a theory that involves a large group of people remembering an event or situation differently than how it happened. This has sparked a lot of opinions and conspiracy theorists, with some suggesting this might be proof of an alternate universe. Doctors and psychologists, on the other hand, use this as an example of false memory or collective misremembering.
Why this name?
This name dates back to 2010 when numerous people on the internet claimed to remember that Nelson Mandela died in prison back in the 80s, with many claiming to have watched his funeral live on TV. However, the reality was far from that.
Mandela was freed from prison in 1990, was the president of South Africa from 1994-1999 and passed away later in 2013.
But the false memories stirred-up an internet community and ever since then this theory has been known as the “Mandela Effect”.
“Mandela Effect” on social media
There are multiple Facebook groups, Twitter threads and a designated subreddit that was created in 2013 so all the conspiracy enthusiasts can share their possible theories and ask others if they remembered certain events, cartoons, films or brands in a certain way.
Examples
There are plentiful examples you can find on the web. Some of them have a logical explanation, but others await a logical clarification. Here are some examples found on the Mandela Effect website written by paranormal consultant, Fiona Broome:
The science behind it…
The phenomenon has multiple theories, some related to scientists like the late Stephen Hawking who posited that there is a possibility of parallel universes and talked of the relationship between alternative universes and quantum physics. But the most coherent theories are offered by psychologists about how the mind can trick you into having false memories.
In an article “The ‘Mandela Effect’ and how your mind is playing tricks on you”, written by authors Neil Dagnall and Ken Drinkwater, both specialists in Cognitive and Parapsychology from Manchester Metropolitan University, they explained that there is something called “collective misremembering.” They looked at how the Mandela Effect is related to this and how this theory exists because of the powerful tool the internet can be to spread misinformation.
What about you? Do you believe the theory that there are multiverses? Or do you think there is a scientific explanation for this theory?
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About the author
Rosana Vinoles is a third-year journalism student at Humber College. Born in Venezuela she had to experience growing up in a third-world-country currently under a dictatorship which has taught her the importance of freedom of speech and equality. Her main goal is to be a voice for the voiceless and be able to share compelling stories through a camera lens.