Nothing is special until someone believes so. And when enough people believe something is special, the thing is perceived special. We humans believe, when we have a story to believe in. A story about the value of something. A story about what something may mean for our social status, our happiness, our energy, our hope for a better life.
Special is in our minds. Special is an experience. Special isn’t a fact. Unique isn’t a fact.
So why did I receive an 8D Billie Eilish audio file with the song Ilomilo, in nearly every social messaging group I’m active in? People telling each other “you need to listen to this, it’s so special”.
8D audio is around for some time already.
I have my theories. One is that people didn’t know just yet, and they profiled themselves amongst their friends and loved ones by sharing this ‘unique’ piece of experience they have discovered.
Another is FOMO. The fear of missing out projected to our friends and loved ones: We just don’t want them to ‘lose’ social status by having missed this thing – we have copied our opinion about – that is so ‘special’.
The last theory I have is more flat: People are sheep. When one sheep walks, all sheep walk. It’s proven. People copy what other people do. That’s hard wired and brings us a lot of good in life. However in this case you’d hope people would think instead of copy.
I wonder where the truth lies. But hey, just as with ‘special’, ’truth’ is a tailor made thing we’ve made up, which only reflects reality from a certain point of view.