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Tuesday 28 August 2012

Reverse psychology.

The idea of reverse psychology, essentially, is to get someone to do A by suggesting to them the opposite. This generally works when the person really doesn't like you, really doesn't like the opposite of A, is downright stubborn, doesn't like being told what to do, or all of the above.
People sometimes like to take it a step further, and think of reverse reverse psychology. And then reverse reverse reverse, et cetera, et cetera.

That's my short explanation on the idea before launching into the actual point of the post.

God can't be tricked. That's a fact, pure and simple. And it's also true, pretty much whatever God you believe in - you get examples throughout every culture's mythology of people trying to trick God/s and failing. (If they succeed, generally they're at least part-God themselves, or there's some other factor.) And you get examples in the Bible, as well. A well known one is Ananias and Sapphira, at the beginning of Acts 5.

Now, some time ago - probably a year and a half ago, maybe a bit more - I was thinking, just in passing, that something couldn't possibly happen. I'm pretty sure my thoughts were, I bet it won't happen. (Sorry, not giving specifics as to what it was. It's not really significant to anyone else.)
But it did.
And my immediate thoughts were, of course, God, why you trolling me? But then, because it's my mind, I got thinking.
I thought - hang on, if he trolled me by making something happen when I thought it definitely wouldn't - what if I thought that way about something else, that I actually wanted to happen?! Maybe that would work!

Of course, you can see the flaws in my reasoning, there.
Firstly, it's God. He can't be tricked.
Secondly, if you do want it to happen but you're attempting to act like you don't think it will, chances are there's a part of you that thinks it will. And it's like trying not to think about the pink elephant. (Thought it was a reference to Inception, and was wondering whether they said pink or purple - turns out they just said elephants. Boring.)
However, it's my mind. It kept trying, even though I knew it wouldn't succeed.

Recently, I've come across something that I would very much like to happen. I also, however, believe that there is almost no chance that it will.
And the seed of doubt is planted. Has part of my mind actually succeeded in blocking itself off enough that it can manufacture such a feeling without me detecting it? In reality, if I look at the pros and cons of the situation, I should not be as pessimistic about the possible occurrence. And yet I am.
And so, what am I to conclude? That my brain has managed to trick myself, in an attempt to trick God (which will, of course, fail, because he's God), in an attempt to make this work out? I'd be impressed if my brain was even at such a level where it could trick itself. Though perhaps I shouldn't be surprised - we're often told that our brains have much more potential than we utilise. And my brain is certainly not typical.

So, in short; I know that my mind won't succeed in tricking God. But has it managed to, essentially, use reverse psychology on myself? Or am I just reading way too much into this?
God knows. *shrugs*

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