Power of the Irrational Mind (experience)

[Scarlett Wampus]

Years ago I watched both versions of 'Ring'. For some reason they really got to me. If I was alone at night I had a horror that Sadako could come round a corner or crawl out from somewhere. The worst occasions were when I had to walk my girlfriend back to her house over the hills. On the way back I had to pass a field with an old well in it and also a dark overgrown path. Rationally I knew that Sadako wasn't real. Nevertheless the irrational mind's suggestion that she was gonna get me was overpowering. It was fascinating. Incidentally, my friends being the people they are organised it so that I really did meet Sadako one night. I nearly had a heart attack!

When I was a teenager I had an Atari ST and spent a lot of my spare time using it to write music, draw, and bring these together in programs I created (mostly games). Over time the Atari began to get a bit worn out and I behaved as though it were conscious and was able to emotionally respond to me. If it was having trouble I would console it, and if it carried on and really annoyed me I'd knock it about a little to tell it off. When I got an Amiga I was worried that my Atari would get jealous, and once I had to send it away to repair the disk drive and didn't like the idea of it being lonely around 'strangers'. The weirdest thing was that I used to think I'd left it turned on sometimes because I could feel its 'presence' and hear a faint humming if I was in another part of the house. I knew it was irrational but at the same time some part of me experienced these things as real.

What are your own experiences of the power of the irrational mind? What do you think was going on at the time?

[Atheist_Dave]

When I was younger I was really effected by movies. I cant remember what film it was, but after I saw it I couldn't even go to the toilet at night, I was too scared to come out of my room. Its wierd how seeing a film makes you expect things to happen, its really stupid when I look back on it now, but when you're young darkness seems to let your mind interpret shapes differently. Shadows suddenly become monster with big teeth etc. I know it can carry on throughout your life though, I still get scared after watching a film or something on tv, just not as bad. I don't know why it happens at all though.

Peace x

[Scarlett Wampus]

Dave thats the sort of thing

I have my theories, and I think there are specific reasons why certain things get to people, what they symbolise or suggest to them. I feel I need to learn much more about the irrational mind so I always want to hear about this. Phobias are probably the most common irrational fears people have.

[Atheist_Dave]

Indeed. My friend is scared of daddy long legs', I say to him "they can't hurt you", he doesn't listen, he knows they can't but still screams like a little girl when he sees them People are never scared of the dangers of something, just of what it actually is. I have heard of people being scared of buttons and stuff, or baked beans, the mind surely is a twisted cave of unconcious reptiles.

Peace x