“Heeeeeeere’s Johnny!” Name that movie! Oh, who am I kidding. You may not have even seen that movie or read the book, and yet know the movie and who wrote the book…. don’t you?
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The ability of the brain to retain information is fascinating. A study of ancient history will show quite a few cultures, such as the Hebrew people, where memorizing word for word lengthy stories were quite common. Pharisees were done their title when able to produce a certain quantity of memorized portions of the Torah.
All of our brain’s have the capacity to memorize and retain at alarming quantities.
In my life, this rears its head most unfortunately in my religious upbringing rearing its familiar head. Almost all of us who’ve had strict, or even semi-strict, religious upbringing can recite, In KJV of course: Genesis 1:1, John 3:16, The Lord’s Prayer, and Psalm 23. If you were raised Jewish, then you assuredly know the Shema, assuredly many of the Siddur recitations, and, if you did good, your Torah or Haftorah portion from your coming of age.
After 4 years of being an out-of-the-closet Atheist, I still have knee jerk reactions to certain phrases or expected answers to a series of words. I’ll illustrate for any religious savvy reader’s entertainments:
“God is good” (Answer: “All the time”) “All the time” (Answer: “God is good”)
That’s one us Bible camp kids will know well. I still have the knee jerk reaction of “All the time” when someone says that God is good, to this day. There are many of such examples. Although, this IS subjective to one’s denomination as well. Different denominations have different songs and carrying-ons in their sermon. As such, my memorization are not Catholic, Lutheran, Methodist, or other. I don’t know Hail Mary’s, but I can sing for you “Mighty to Save” by Reuben Morgan, and “Shout to the Lord” by Darlene Zschech along with an interpretive dance.
I digress and move on to the main experiment which everyone should enjoy, no matter what your faith or lack thereof.
I would like to do an experiment that many of you who’ve taken Sociology/Psychology 101 probably had the pleasure of being mind-blown with. These are phrases, jingles, and songs that many of us have lodged in our brains by well-paid and researched Advertisements.
Enjoy, see how many of these you can finish. Some of these might be dated, just for the pleasure of both our older souls and reader. So don’t go nuts if you can’t get one, and don’t you dare google! Those that are songs may be more difficult to recall, so my hint that sing-songing may help for these ones with me **. Not all jingles will be prefaced with it, only ones that we almost always sing when we recite and don’t say:
1. “Like a good neighbor….”
2. ” Melts in your hand… “
3. * * “I wish I were an….. “
4. “Double your pleasure…. ” Bonus: After your answer, if you got it, finish it: “with….”
5. ** ” I don’t wanna grow up….”
6. **”I am stuck on …. cause …. “
7. “An apple a day….”
Ok, fun? Another Experiment. Name the Advertising company, or what the slogan or catchphrase is advertising:
A. “Keeps going and going and going and going and going………….”
B. “Just do it.”
C. “The Happiest place on Earth.”
D. “Finger Lickin’ Good.”
E. “American by Birth. Rebel by Choice.”
F. “Between Love and madness lies obsession.”
G. “You can do it, we can help.”
For an ad that you will not see anywhere anymore from the 1920’s I bring you a BONUS QUESTION:
“I’d walk a mile for a…”
Go ahead and google that one if you can’t. I’d love to hear from anyone who has had that one lodged in their brain though!
Share your reactions and your non-cheating answers. Or, just respond with how many you got immediately and nauseatingly. Advertising works, doesn’t it? How does that make you feel?
Penny for your Thoughts? My apologies that I can not pay for them as much as advertising companies do.
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Sources and easy non-googling checking your answers:
http://www.advergize.com/advertising/40-best-advertising-slogans-modern-brands/
http://www.catchphrases.info/advertising.php
http://tvcomedies.about.com/od/listsrecommendations/tp/Best-Sitcom-Catchphrases.htm
And just for fun, another mind memory test with movie quotes. This list works great for having fun remembering classic movies with friends, and laughing how we all KNOW them:
http://geektyrant.com/news/2011/3/5/150-movie-lines-and-catch-phrases.html
For Your Thoughts 