Apophenia

QUOTE

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe once said…

“In nature we never see anything isolated, but everything in connection with something else which is before it, beside it, under it and over it.”

CONCEPT

Apophenia

Apophenia is the human tendency to perceive meaningful connections between unrelated things. It's a common cognitive bias where we see patterns, relationships, or trends that aren't actually present—often as a result of random data or sheer coincidence.

This mental phenomenon is the basis for numerous superstitions and conspiracy theories, and is also a key element in gambling addiction.

While apophenia can fuel creativity and insight, it can also lead us astray, pushing us towards unfounded conclusions or assumptions.

STORY

If I Think It ... It Must Be Real?

As the 1950s came to a close, rock 'n' roll music was sweeping across America, capturing the hearts of the younger generation.

Elvis Presley, with his shaking hips and soulful voice, was now a household name, and jukeboxes across the country were filled with his catchy tunes. The nation's youth was entranced, their hearts throbbing to the rhythm of this exciting new music genre.

However, not everyone was swaying to the beat.

Parents, teachers, and conservative groups were deeply concerned. To them, rock 'n' roll was more than just music. It was a cultural invader, stealing their children's innocence and sowing the seeds of rebellion. The once sweet melody of Sunday hymns was now replaced by the rebellious strumming of the electric guitar.

At some point, a rumor began to circulate in a small Midwestern town, a whisper that would soon grow into a roar heard across the country. A local teenager, experimenting with his record player, claimed he had heard a chilling secret message hidden in a popular rock 'n' roll song. The message, he insisted, could only be heard when the record was played backward.

The sinister whisper? A Satanic message.

Despite vehement denials from the song's artists and producers, the rumor persisted, gaining momentum. Fueled by fear and suspicion, it fed into the worst fears of those who were already convinced of rock 'n' roll's evil influence.

The phenomena, now known as 'backmasking,' resulted in a national scandal.

Communities organized record-burning parties, radio stations pulled songs from their rotation, and schools banned rock 'n' roll music from their dances. All because they were convinced they had found a clandestine pattern that confirmed their worst suspicions.

The "Satanic messages" were nothing more than the chaotic sounds produced by playing a record backward. But combined with the societal fear of rock 'n' roll and the human brain's penchant for pattern-seeking, apophenia led to an unjustified moral panic that shook America.