The unique experience of ordinary people, the forgotten commonality, have you been like this?
Each of us has experienced something small in life that seems unique. Like having a brilliant idea in the shower, or falling asleep in the movie theater, or walking into a room and completely forgetting your purpose. These vignettes, while insignificant, give the impression of "I'm the only one", as if my experience is different.
However, this is not the case. These so-called "unique" experiences are actually ubiquitous in real life, but we often ignore their universality. This phenomenon is known as the "Truman world effect" and refers to the tendency of people to overestimate the uniqueness and rarity of their own experiences and underestimate the likelihood that others will have similar experiences.
The name of the Truman World Effect comes from an interesting case. In 1986, an American scholar named Truman asked a random student in class if he had a rather rare name. The student replied that his name was indeed rare. When Truman asked the class, he found that there were two other classmates who also had this name. This small example reveals the tendency of people to overestimate the uniqueness of their experiences.
The Truman world effect exists not only at the individual level, but also in all aspects of society as a whole. For example, when it comes to commuting, many people think that they are a minority of people hitchhiking while commuting, but in fact this is a very common practice. According to a survey, nearly a quarter of commuters in London hitchhike their daily commute. In the U.S., the rate is even higher, with one-third commuting to and from work with others every day.
The existence of the Truman world effect has, on the one hand, enhanced the understanding and resonance between people. When we discover that we are not "unique", we create a warm feeling of being understood, which brings us closer to each other. On the other hand, it can also lead people to lose sight of the value of their own uniqueness. If we are too attached to the similarities with others, we may lose sight of our own unique personality traits and unique experiences.
While acknowledging the commonality of human nature, we should also cherish our own uniqueness. Although each person is similar to others, they also have their own unique personality traits and life experiences. We should embrace the world with an open and inclusive mind, appreciate the unique charm of others, and at the same time express ourselves confidently.