While binge-watching “Stranger Things” with the kids, I learned a new word: Apophenia.
Merriam-webster.com defines it as “the tendency to perceive a connection or meaningful pattern between unrelated or random things (such as objects or ideas).”
I believe we’re all guilty of apophenia. It causes or justifies many conspiracy theories and is a dreamer’s, politician’s, and romantic’s best friend. It gifts a person with just what they’re looking for, proof of whatever it is they believe in or desire, simply because there’s a potential connection.
Do we suffer from apophenia, or are we blessed with it? Does it cause chaos, especially in the current world we live in? Hell, yes. Not everything that happens is connected to the last. It’s my word of the day and I believe we should all be mindful of it.
Teresa Forester Adams 