Baader-Meinhof Phenomenon

Have you ever noticed something (like a song, or a word, or an image) and then you end up seeing or hearing that thing all day long everywhere you go? That's called the Baader-Meinhof Phenomenon. 

Essentially, what happens is that your brain sees something that grabs it's attention and then continues scanning your environment for that thing. So when you come across that thing again, confirmation bias kicks in and ensures you that the newly noticed thing is following you.

This happens to me all the time and is always a little unsettling. My wife and I are big Doctor Who fans... and being so, we have a joke with each other that all statues we come across are really alive and move when we aren't looking. Due to the Baader-Meinhof Phenomenon we tend to notice statues everywhere! (Along those lines, recently my wife saw a really cool angel statue with it's head in it's hands in a cemetery and pulled her car over to take a picture... only to see that the angel was staring directly at her... hilarious for me a bit discomforting for her.)

But most recently, my Baader-Meinhof moments are showing me that I have been spending a lot of time listening to John Orr teach (Yes, actually listening! I'm shocked, too). 

Our current series is entitled SIMPLE and, among other things, is about the importance of not adding extra "fluff" to church because things tend to get too complicated too quickly. This can be difficult... because simple doesn't mean easy. So when I read an article in my new Men's Health magazine (about the how to look like one of those actors in the new 300 movie) and I happen upon the line, "it may be simple, but that doesn't mean it's easy," I have a bit of a Baader-Meinhof Phenomenon moment.

A common John Orr-ism that has been repeated in recent weeks is that "your friends will determine the direction and quality of your life". So when I've just finished re-watching the Pirates of the Caribbean movies for about the *cough* hundredth *cough* time, and the one thought in my head when I finish it is, "that is a perfect example of how your friends will determine the quality and direction of your life," it seems that concept has grabbed my brain's attention and the Baader-Meinhof Phenomenon is causing me to notice it in everyday life.

So, when you read this blog and see multiple entries about being Simple... It's not me - that's just your very own Baader-Meinhof Phenomenon moment.