Corona Daily 498: Self-defeating prophecy

There are two kinds of prophecies: self-fulfilling and self-defeating.

A teenager studying for a competitive exam gets increasingly nervous. Only 2% get through, does he have a chance? It’s a vast syllabus, has he really covered it all? Despite studying diligently, on the eve of the exam he is convinced he knows very little. In the exam hall, he starts sweating. Panics after looking at the first question he knows nothing about. Forgets his formulae. And really manages to flunk the exam.

This is a self-fulfilling prophecy. The student’s excessive fear of failure really leads to his failing. Similar phenomena are observed in ulcer patients. Those who keep worrying about their stomach ulcers usually make them worse.

There is another boy, perhaps less bright than the first boy, studying for the same exam. He says 2% are better than 0%. As long as the passing percentage is more than zero, he must have a chance to get through. He is fearless, confident; in the exam hall he begins with what he knows best, and successfully passes the exam.

This is a self-defeating prophecy. We often see this in sport. Players with better nerves can outperform players more talented or skillful.

In the current situation, we must emulate the second boy. When people rebel against the worst predictions, and are confident they will not come true, they manage to defeat the predictions.

First and foremost, individually and collectively, we need to firmly believe this ordeal is going to end eventually. Only that confidence will bring the world back to normal one day.

Ravi