Ok I have noticed this happening more and more recently: when I walk down the street a significant number of people that I pass say something. It is always a word that I can’t quite discern, and seems to be directed at no-one in particular. It happens too often for them all to be nuts so I am beginning to fear for my own sanity.
Does anyone else have a clue what I’m talking about?
Of course, Lucretia is correct, but how could I resist?
Papertiger, may I suggest a temporary self diagnosis? If you can see the funny side of the replies so far, you’re probably OK, if not, go see your doctor, you’re paranoid, which could be an indicator of any number of psychological conditions. I understand that most are eminently treatable, just like physical injuries.
I haven’t experienced this myself, but my guess is you’re frequenting the same general area, withthe same general people, and they’re talking about the same general stuff. Do you notice when they don’t say this word, or when they do? This may be like the thing where you only notice to car is parked at the corner when it’s parked there. You don’t notice when it isn’t.
Just being curious here. You wouldn’t happen to dress funny would ya? Something along the lines of Green Hair, alot of tattoos and or piercings, walking down the street naked, etc. etc. etc… If you do have any of the aformentioned, then that could be the reason. If not, you better run and hide now because they are on to ya, and coming to get you right now as we speak. Quick! Run! Hide!
Yes, many of us know exactly what you’re talking about. Unfortunately, you are not cleared for this information–if we told you, we’d have to kill you. Sorry.
I don’t think you’re nuts (well not nuts because of this). I think the fact that you can’t discern the word shows this. If every time you passed a group of people you heard the word “potato”, then you’d have a problem. Most likely, you are hearing snippets of words, and human minds are preprogrammed to discern patterns, even when they aren’t they.
So my diagnosis (and I’m a lawyer, therefore obviously qualified to speak on psychology), is that your mind is trying to discern a pattern from random speech of others, and failing because it doesn’t have enough information. Toss this in with Handy’s observation, and you probably have your answer.
Now, the aluminum foil hat you wear IS a cause for concern.