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Thread: what causes things to happen in spurts?

  1. #1
    God/dess greenidlady1's Avatar
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    Default what causes things to happen in spurts?

    I was just thinking about this and realized when things happen around me it seems to come and go in waves. For example, if I have guys interested in me I'll either have two or three interested at a time or none. If something bad happens two or three bad things happen at one time. Some days my phone won't ring at all other days I want to throw the damn thing. When I use to dance either I was really busy or just sitting there. When you mention someone's name they appear. You think of a song it comes on the radio. Is there something out there that causes things to happen this way or is it just conincidental?

  2. #2
    Chicagoeditor
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    Default Re: what causes things to happen in spurts?

    It's your perception of "waves" rather than an objective clustering of events. We tend to count the hits and forget the misses, for example. But it's not your fault, the human mind is built to detect patterns, even where none exist.

  3. #3
    cameron_keys
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    Default Re: what causes things to happen in spurts?

    Yep me too. Feast or famine.

    Hubby and I were joking about this today. We both have several things we've been waiting for in the mail...ordered at all differant times from differant places. They all came today. Every delivery service known to man has been at my house today(still no dead Barbie though...I dont think we are getting that damn it)

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    God/dess greenidlady1's Avatar
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    Default Re: what causes things to happen in spurts?

    I think it's more of event clustering but it's more organized for example with phone calls, men, things breaking, etc. I agree with the brain recognizing patterns.

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    God/dess xdamage's Avatar
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    Default Re: what causes things to happen in spurts?

    Quote Originally Posted by Chicagoeditor View Post
    It's your perception of "waves" rather than an objective clustering of events. We tend to count the hits and forget the misses, for example. But it's not your fault, the human mind is built to detect patterns, even where none exist.
    Exactly^^^ CE nailed it. Our brains our incredibly good at detecting certain kinds of patterns and actively look for them, even where non really exist.

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    Veteran Member Maisumi's Avatar
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    Default Re: what causes things to happen in spurts?

    Have you heard of The Secret? Yeah the book's a gimmick, but I do to some extent agree with its premise, that positives attract positives, and likewise for the counter. That might explain why guys at the club come to you in waves. I know this definitely applies to me, because when I'm surrounded with people, I overtly act more social and happy which in turns attracts more people. And on the other hand, when I'm a loner I stay a loner because obviously no one wants to be stuck with a drainer! That aside, The Secret's really just a pseudo-philosophical mishmash of the old positive thinking theory, that's what. And how it continues to dominate the Bestselling Non-Fiction Book charts here in Australia leaves me somewhat disconcerted.

    Here's some bg info for those unfamiliar with The Secret, explained by most favourite guys in the world.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usbNJMUZSwo


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    God/dess Embyr's Avatar
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    Default Re: what causes things to happen in spurts?

    Quote Originally Posted by xdamage View Post
    Exactly^^^ CE nailed it. Our brains our incredibly good at detecting certain kinds of patterns and actively look for them, even where non really exist.
    Yup yup! This is called "confirmation bias" or "subjective validation...." meaning you look for things fitting your criterion and unknowingly/unconsciously dismiss the rest. One or two similar things happened coincidentally, and then you turned on your "look for other things in this category!" sensor. We filter out information that isn't relative to/doesn't fit the conclusion we want to come to. So... no, things don't actually happen in spurts... we've all HEARd that they do, so we assume thusly and look for information to confirm it, dismissing or ignoring the rest.

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    Featured Member Jezzebelle's Avatar
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    Default Re: what causes things to happen in spurts?

    Quote Originally Posted by Maisumi View Post
    Have you heard of The Secret? Yeah the book's a gimmick, but I do to some extent agree with its premise, that positives attract positives, and likewise for the counter. That might explain why guys at the club come to you in waves. I know this definitely applies to me, because when I'm surrounded with people, I overtly act more social and happy which in turns attracts more people. And on the other hand, when I'm a loner I stay a loner because obviously no one wants to be stuck with a drainer! That aside, The Secret's really just a pseudo-philosophical mishmash of the old positive thinking theory, that's what. And how it continues to dominate the Bestselling Non-Fiction Book charts here in Australia leaves me somewhat disconcerted.

    Here's some bg info for those unfamiliar with The Secret, explained by most favourite guys in the world.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=usbNJMUZSwo
    Id love to believe in The Secret 100%, but Im too cynical and think like Embyr on stuff like this.
    A civilian spends money to look good
    A stripper looks good to make money
    A civilian may be after your wage
    A stripper laughs at your wage

  9. #9
    Chicagoeditor
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    Default Re: what causes things to happen in spurts?

    Quote Originally Posted by Embyr View Post
    This is called "confirmation bias" or "subjective validation...."
    Embyr, you're the smartest bike-riding pixie I know.

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    God/dess xdamage's Avatar
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    Default Re: what causes things to happen in spurts?

    Quote Originally Posted by Chicagoeditor View Post
    Embyr, you're the smartest bike-riding pixie I know.
    LOL, she is also definitely one of the most intriguing women on SW

  11. #11
    God/dess Embyr's Avatar
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    Default Re: what causes things to happen in spurts?

    *blushes super-hard and runs away from thread fanning her face*

  12. #12
    OdysseusNJ
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    Default Re: what causes things to happen in spurts?

    Quote Originally Posted by xdamage View Post
    LOL, she is also definitely one of the most intriguing women on SW
    Don't forget, she has hot tats too...

    Agreed on her explanation.

  13. #13
    Alaska
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    Default Re: what causes things to happen in spurts?

    This reminds me of The Tipping Point, and Freakonomics. You'd be real interested in those if ya haven't read already.

  14. #14
    OdysseusNJ
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    Default Re: what causes things to happen in spurts?

    Quote Originally Posted by Alaska View Post
    This reminds me of The Tipping Point, and Freakonomics. You'd be real interested in those if ya haven't read already.
    I haven't read The Tipping Point, but I did read Blink (also by Malcolm Gladwell) and thought it was pretty weak, actually. Have you read both, do you know if they are similar in style?

    I only read a small portion of Freakonomics a while ago, but recall it being interesting.

  15. #15
    Alaska
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    Default Re: what causes things to happen in spurts?

    In this order, I liked:

    1)Freakonomics

    2)The Tipping Point

    3)Blink




    Blink is diff from Tipping point.....Tipping point is more along the lines of what she's talking about....How things "Tip"....like how does a trend *really* get started? Talks about Market Mavens, and how there's 3 kinds of ppl....Connecters, Mavens, Salemen, how there really *is* six degrees of separation between people....

    That shows some good excepts from TP...

    Yea my mom didn't want to read it because she thinks it's "Pop Psychology" and me too I'm usually a skeptic n shit, but they were real interesting.

    Freakonomics is obviously all numbers tho, can't deny the truth!


    Oh and the part about why Sesame Street was so successful and helpful is very cool, and why Blue's Clues was so good (because it followed the work and research put into Sesame Street)

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    God/dess FrustratedBunny's Avatar
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    Default Re: what causes things to happen in spurts?

    I don't know the reason but everything you mentioned happens to me.

  17. #17
    OdysseusNJ
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    Default Re: what causes things to happen in spurts?

    Quote Originally Posted by Alaska View Post
    Blink is diff from Tipping point.....Tipping point is more along the lines of what she's talking about....How things "Tip"....like how does a trend *really* get started? Talks about Market Mavens, and how there's 3 kinds of ppl....Connecters, Mavens, Salemen, how there really *is* six degrees of separation between people....
    I knew the subject matter was different, what I meant was that my impression of Blink was that the author took a clever but not exactly revolutionary point, and then went on and on ad nauseam about how revolutionary it was, and also tried to apply it to a few situations where it didn't belong. I think I would have liked it if it were an extended article in some highbrow magazine, but didn't like it at full book length.

    Also I had just (re)read "A Brief History of Time" and "Surely You're Joking Mr. Feynman", which are the kings of pop science books and hard to live up to. I guess I was going through a pop science book phase. "Tipping Point" will have to wait though, I'm out of that phase for now... thanks for the recommendation and info though!
    Last edited by OdysseusNJ; 10-24-2007 at 08:11 PM. Reason: minor clarification

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    God/dess Silverback's Avatar
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    Default Re: what causes things to happen in spurts?

    Oxytocin.

    That's what causes things to happen in spurts.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxytocin
    "He will come in one of the pre-chosen forms. During the rectification of the Vuldrini, the traveler came as a large and moving Torg! Then, during the third reconciliation of the last of the McKetrick supplicants, they chose a new form for him: that of a giant Slor! Many Shuvs and Zuuls knew what it was to be roasted in the depths of the Slor that day, I can tell you!"

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