Did someone tell you that you’re beautiful today? Smart? Clever? Joyful? Did your horoscope tell you that
you’d have a wonderful day and meet someone special? Did a palm reader tell you that you’d have a long life? Two
marriages, or two children?
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| Chronicling America |
If you heard these things and believed in them, it is likely
you are under the influence of “The
Barnum Effect.”
P.T. Barnum (1810-1891) probably never actually said, “A
sucker is born every minute,” but some laughingly say he did. In psychology this is loosely interpreted as “people are
inclined to believe what someone tells them about themselves.” And this is known as “The Barnum Effect.”
I am currently reading “The Life of P.T. Barnum” downloaded
from Amazon for the huge sum of $1.75. When I did an Internet search of this fellow to find out
some fact I don’t recall, up popped, “The
Barnum Effect.” Naturally, I became
totally focused on this discovery and forgot what else I was looking for.
Surprised that there was such a term, I asked my publisher
(A guy who has read a LOT of books) if he knew of it. He had not. My husband, also very well read and a virtual Fort Knox of trivia, had never heard of it either! So far I
have presented the question, “have you ever heard of the Barnum effect?” to
dozens of people and it was new to all of them. Go ahead! Ask your friends! You'll feel pretty smart!
Lesson learned here is that although the book was written in
1885 about a man that has been gone for a very long time, I learned something
so fundamental, I can hardly imagine I didn’t know it before.
Bigger than life, P.T. Barnum was an amazing
entrepreneur. Just in case you are
curious, he didn’t even start an actual circus career until he was about sixty
years old! So! It’s never too late to start on a new
adventure.
Free Old Newspapers can be found at the Chronicling America website.
This YouTube video demonstrates how the "Barnum Effect" works. Funny!
Happy Summer! Go tell someone they are amazing today! ~ Donna
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