Fortune telling
Do you believe in fortune tellers?
I’ve always found them interesting. They seem to tell you things about yourself that feel unique to you but are not at all. Things like “your relationships are in need of more attention” or “time has felt in short supply lately.” The thing is these things, seen in the right light, can apply to pretty much anyone. But because it feels like something that people don’t talk about regularly, it feels unique and personal to you.
I was reminded of this phenomenon when one of my professors published a New York Times article about languishing. Languishing feels deeply personal but it’s not. Everyone is probably languishing in some part of their lives.
The danger of this is when someone (or some organization) can say something that feels personal (but actually means nothing) to establish credibility. You feel like they understand you and are an expert in whatever they are talking about. And then this person can use this credibility to now start making you believe things that aren’t even true.
It can be a slippery slope. The next time you read something and find yourself thinking that it applies to you, consider asking yourself does it apply to everyone else too?