August 27, 2007

More Unconscious Weirdness

This is just a quickie, but since we're still discussing Unconscious Processes (this morning's post), check this out.

This bit of strangeness came from here, where it was much more artfully presented. But here's the text of it:

While sitting at your desk, lift your right foot off the floor and make clockwise circles. Now, while doing this, draw the number "6" in the air with your right hand. Your foot will change direction and there's nothing you can do about it.

Try it folks. It's really weird. Can any of you Resist This and make your foot keep going clockwise? No luck over here!

There is probably an explanation for this posted somewhere, but the explanation is probably not nearly as interesting as the phenomenon itself!

15 comments:

  1. Oh. I thought my brain was too powerful for this until I realized I was moving my leg in circles (knee down). when I just move my foot, ankle down, yes this works. So I guess my ankle's unconscious is linked to my wrist's, but my knee's is not. cool.

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  2. I get my right foot going, and as soon as I even think about drawing a 6, it flips. Crap.

    But I can pat my head and rub my stomach at the same time - and my toes are double-jointed. So there!

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  3. did you post this to trick me into exercising at work? if you did, thank you.

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  4. It depends on how you "air-draw" the 6 if you start at the inner corner and swirl outwards to make the upper part then you can do it.

    I award myself 5 points for creativity! :)

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  5. Ok- Should I call the doctor? I didn't have any trouble with this exercise. (Does this mean I have a brain tumor?)

    worried,
    Mia

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  6. Man, I'm so bad at Stupid Human Tricks.

    Can't do it, but at least Husband can't either, heehee!

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  7. I probably did this like 10 times today. I have mastered form the knee down but because of Randi's comment am not willing to try just the foot.

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  8. Oh, and that jeffbridges.com website. I didn't realize that was the real actor Jeff Bridges. Somehow that just made it so funny to me.

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  9. This is one of those things that I don't understand, and have wasted a lot of time, now, thank you, and the foot STILL just wants to do its own thing! First try-circle reversed and I was amused. Second try-Concentration (with smoke coming from my ears) caused a back and forth motion, and a screwy looking 6...I can't do it either. I do wonder who thinks this shit up and gets all of us to not only try it, then we discuss it happily for hours! I love this simple life!

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  10. I can resist it, but only if I start drawing the 6 from the centre and not from its edge.

    Way to help me fight off boredom at work! :p

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  11. Randi,
    A Powerful Brain that thinks a knee is an ankle--I have a brain that's Powerful like that too!

    Hi Toad,
    Okay I'm pretty impressed by the double jointed toes! Not sure about the practical applications however...

    Bridget,
    Wish I was that clever! But if I find one that involves jumping jacks I'll let you know.

    rpm2004,
    Wow, that is indeed Creative! And you're right, it works!

    Mia, no problems at all? Wow. I'm truly impressed. And I'm sure they'll get you a Dr's appointment right away with those alarming symptoms...I can just hear the phone conversation with the receptionist.

    Lisa,
    I think it's very cute that you can get your husband to try to perform Stupid Human Tricks on command!

    Katie,
    Nice try, but knees don't count! And it's the Real Jeff Bridges? I just Stumbled upon the Silly Exercise and thought "naw, surely not THAT Jeff Bridges" and forgot to go back to check! That does make it somehow even funnier.

    Carrie,
    Yeah I wonder who first discovered it? What a weird thing to be trying to do in the first place! But yes, we are easily entertained, aren't we!

    Kery,
    Yeah, the other way is totally impossible though. Funny how it never occurred to me a 6 could be drawn any other way than the way I always draw it.

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  12. I thought I had it figured out with moving my whole calf, then I read the post about just the ankle. So I tried it and it's a hell of a lot harder. But I think I have it licked - it's all about speed! I can rotate my ankle clockwise and draw a six in the air (starting from the top, not the reverse) if I go really slowly. But only if I go slowly. If I start to unconsciously speed up, my ankle reverses direction...

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  13. Good for you, Lethological--I tried slowing down but couldn't do it without stopping completely and alternating tasks. Which is not the point of the exercise!

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  14. I tried the whole calf first and my leg went the other way, but when I tried my ankle nothing happened. Go figure

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  15. Wow, I'm extra special I guess, because I can do it. :) Debunked! DEBUNKED I SAY!

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