The Mandela Effect: Is it bad memory or an alternate reality?

Full disclosure: If you prefer to keep your sense of reality – and your cherished memories – intact, you may want to skip this article. If, on the other hand, you want to explore the fascinating phenomenon that is the “Mandela Effect” – and even take a quiz – read on.

You will be astonished by the gap between what you think you remember and what current reality tells us is true – and by the theory that may explain it all.

Whether it is “real” or not, the Mandela Effect is having a significant mental and emotional effect on many people – including those of us here at NaturalHealth365.  Get ready to test your memory.

Warning: You probably won’t ace this deceptively simple quiz

“Field of Dreams,” “Forrest Gump,” “Star Wars,” “The Wizard of Oz” … These classic movies were more than box office hits – they were engaging, inspiring films that made their way into our national consciousness.  And certain iconic lines from these movies became enshrined in our memories as well. Who among us can’t repeat their catchphrases verbatim, on demand – without even giving it much thought?

Probably not you, for starters.

And, according to our own informal survey, not the folks at NaturalHealth365 either. Because somehow, all of us seem to have gotten things wrong.

Don’t believe us? Try your hand at filling in the blanks on these familiar phrases:

From “Field of Dreams” – “Build it and ___ will come”

From “Forrest Gump” – “Life ___ like a box of chocolates.”

From “The Wizard of Oz” – “Fly, ___ fly!”

From “Star Wars” – Darth Vader says, “___ I am your father.”

From “Mr. Rogers” TV show – “It’s a beautiful day in ___ neighborhood.”

From the children’s book, “Beren***** Bears.”

A famous hot dog brand, “Oscar ___.”

Are you ready to have your certainty shattered?

The ghostly voice in the Iowa cornfield says, “Build it and HE will come.” (Not “they.”)

On the Savannah park bench, Forrest Gump shares his mother’s philosophy: “Life WAS like a box of chocolates.”(Not “is.”)

The Wicked Witch never says “Fly, my pretties, fly!”

Darth Vader never says “Luke, I am your father.” (The first word of the sentence is “No.”)

Fred Rogers sings of “a beautiful day in THIS neighborhood.” (Not “the”)

The Bears’ surname is Berenstain. (Not Berenstein)

The name on the hot dog package is, and always has been, Oscar Mayers. (Not Oscar Meyers)

According to our (admittedly unscientific) poll, the overwhelming majority of people have inaccurate memories of these famous quotes and products.  If we are remembering things wrong, why are we all remembering them the exact same way?

How can this be? Millions upon millions of us watched these movies in theaters, and re-watched them on cable and videos and DVDs. The taglines in question were printed extensively in countless movie reviews, quoted by comedians, late-night TV hosts and even David Letterman at the Academy Awards (where you would think he would have gotten it right).

In short, these catchphrases became part of our national lexicon.

But along the way, they seem to have changed – for the vast majority of us. According to Google Trends, people looking for the phrase “Build it and they will come” outnumber those who look for “he” by more than ten to one.

Here is the key scene from “Field of Dreams.”

Is that what you remember? Or did you have to replay it a time or two to get your head around it?

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