The Mandela Effect: Do You Believe?

The Mandela Effect is when you recall a memory, but there is no evidence of it ever occurring (read on for a more detailed definition).

According to Wikipedia, the Mandela Effect was coined by paranormal researcher Fiona Broome.

She had “vivid and detailed” memories of news stories of Nelson Mandela dying in prison in the 1980s -even though Mandela died in 2013.

Sinbad in Shazaam, Darth Vader saying, “Luke, I am your father”, and the Monopoly Guy’s Monocle are but a few other popular examples.

However, the big question is, do you believe?

What is the Mandela Effect? (Fiona Broome)

I thought this would be a fun and simple post, just slip in a few jokes along the way and Bob’s your uncle.

But no! The common perception of the Mandela Effect only serves to lead you down a rabbit hole.

I was ready to discard the notion, but then realised that to properly dismiss something, you have to at least know WHAT IT IS!

That led me to visit Fiona Broome’s website [fionabroome.com], where she expands on the idea, and mandelaeffect.com, which she also runs.

This was all in an effort to gain a clear and proper understanding of the Mandela Effect.

My conclusion, in my own words?

The Mandela Effect represents a situation in which people share a common memory of something that history records as having never happened.

Two key sources led me to this understanding:

1. The Mandela Effect Explained (A YouTube video by Fiona Broome) – This defines the concept and provides its origins, and
2. The Mandela Effect is NOT False Memories [fionabroome.com] (This is important because ‘False Memories’ are commonly used to rationalize the Mandela Effect)

It gets quite interesting when you start to consider the possible explanations for these occurrences, such as Parallel Realities and Changed History.

OK, now we have our premises. Do you think they are real?

Do I Believe in the Mandela Effect? (+ Examples)

I submit that most of the common examples presented do not prove the Mandela Effect, including the three listed above:

1. Sinbad in Shazaam (instead of Shaq)
2. Darth Vader saying,“Luke, I am your father”, and
3. The Monopoly Guy’s Monocle

They simply don’t resonate with me, and I suspect there will be a reasonable explanation for them.

However, the example the Mandela Effect is named after is much more compelling.

-I have this memory, and it has always confused me.

When I was a child, I was under the impression that Nelson Mandela had died in prison. I remember watching the news about it.

I remember being surprised when he was released from prison because I thought he had already died.

So, how do I account for the discrepancy?

I can’t.

But memory is a funny thing. I’ve worked with memory professionally and know that it can sometimes be hard to rely on.

You can’t always be sure that your snapshot of a moment in time hasn’t gotten a little fuzzy.

What do I actually remember?

I remember being in the living room, watching the news on TV, showing lots of people, like a top-down view of hundreds of people, gathered for Nelson Mandela’s death. I was very young at the time. -Under nine years old.

When faced with the fact that he did not die and went on to become the president of South Africa, my logic suggests I must have misremembered the event.

The cynic in me questions the news coverage itself. Maybe it was some old propaganda or something.

What is certain is it was all too long ago, to be sure.

After all, it’s been over 3 decades!

Is there Any Evidence of the Mandela Effect Online?

Ha! This is a massive rabbit hole!

After the last section, where I discussed my internal perception of the Mandela Effect, I wanted to consider any external confirmations there might be.

And boy, did I find one…

The first thing I did was speak with one of my siblings, who, as it happened, shared the same memory. Of course, this is hearsay, and who knows, maybe I led them.

Next, I wanted to see if there was any relevant evidence online, looking for something that could’ve been mistaken for ‘The Death of Nelson Mandela in the 80s’.

I went to YouTube and typed in:

’80s Africa Nelson Mandela’s death in prison’

And this was the first result. [YouTube] There were several others as well.

The author of the video, which has had over 597K views, states (in the description) that the video concerns:

“..a quirky conspiracy theory that some South Africans believe: that he died in prison.” – Mzansi Explained YouTube Channal

Interestingly, the video states that some South African people believe that Nelson Mandela died in 1985, which would fit right into my own timeline.

The idea, in short, is that the original Nelson Mandela died in prison and was replaced by a stooge/puppet.

But hold on, guys! We are covering large swathes of ground here and fully entering into the realm of speculation. And speculation is not evidence.

However, it is noteworthy that something which is (apparently) commonly remembered might also be the subject of Conspiracy.

It’s an interesting coincidence, indeed.

I will end this section with a nod to the fact that I am old enough to remember the chaotic and deeply divided world of the 80s (all too similar to what we have today, sadly).

And that I can remember how the media was used as a tool for propaganda (as it still is today, sadly).

So, generally speaking, nothing surprises me. ~Hence, the “Cynic” in the address bar above.

However, keeping a level head, I see no reason to believe that this Conspiracy actually occurred.

I have not studied it enough to draw a firm conclusion; however, I’d lean against the idea based on what I know.

Still, it’s included in this post because it’s relevant to the story and true to my research concerning “external confirmations”.

Old Cynic Life, November 29th, 2024

My final thoughts:

I didn’t realise how in-depth this topic would be, but I’m glad I took the time to research it.

That said, there will be experts and enthusiasts who will know a great deal more than me.

To keep this post concise, I had to leave out the discussion of Parallel Realities and other fascinating supernatural concepts.

Maybe I’ll tackle them another day.

Without the benefit of further evidence, my conclusion about Mandela is that I’m likely misremembering the event.

I was very young, and there’s a reasonable chance I have merged memories, especially since the memory in question isn’t particularly personal or important (to a child).

Nonetheless, I remain open to new input, so please share if you have something more.

Anyway, if you’re brave enough, tell me what you think of the Mandela Effect overall.

Fact or Fiction? You…. Discuss. 😅 Nearly copyrighted myself right there.

Have a great week, everyone!

PS. If you enjoyed this post, let me know so I can write some more.

Notes: 1. Information found online, such as the author’s name and website ownership, has been taken at face value. I have not independently researched the Mandela Effect beyond what can easily be found in the public domain. 2. I am not an expert on the Mandela Effect, although take a keen interest in anything that provokes thought on the nature of our reality. 3. I do not have any affiliation with any parties referenced or linked to. Linking and making references should not be mistaken as a sign of endorsement.

Copyright: oldcynic.com