WARNING: Berenstain Bears Misspelling May Warp Your Mind
Earlier this weekend, I stumbled upon the phenomena commonly referred to as 'The Mandela Effect'. Only one example of it made an impact with me, but it was positively un'bear'able!
It is named after Nelson Mandela because an alarming number of people have a false memory of him dying in prison during the 1980's. I'm not a member of this group.
However, out of the countless examples of this effect, one has bothered me nonstop for the past few days. The Berenstain Bears.
I would have bet $100 that The Berenstain Bears we're always spelled 'Berenstein', because everyone I've ever known pronounced it that way. But, not only is the name spelled 'Stain' it is pronounced that way too as the video below will prove.
It is such a strong memory that I can STILL see it when I look at the cursive writing on the paperback books, but from a distance away.
The most common 'mind-blowing' theory for this phenomenon is that there is a parallel universe where these misspellings and alternative histories are real and that the memories have transported to our minds in some way.
I don't believe in that at all. I just think that mispronunciations, rumors and lazy thinking are the common culprit in all of these examples. However, it is extremely fun to talk about no matter which universe you happen to be in!
Wait a second?! Is our spellcheck from a parallel universe?? Now that's downright spooky.