If I say to you, “Don’t think of a pink elephant,” it is, of course, the first thing that comes to your mind, whereas if instructed to think of a green one, you are unlikely to have internal pictures of pink.
There is a school of thought which says that we should be more careful about the instructions we give to children. The argument goes that we should frame our instructions so that we state the positive events we want them to achieve rather than state the things we want them to avoid. By stating what we want them to avoid we are creating unwanted encouragement for them to actually do those things - the words inevitably create pictures in the mind. “Talk quietly” might reduce the volume, whereas “Stop shouting” might increase it. “Please walk on the paths” might be more effective than “Don’t walk on the grass”.
While browsing through a copy of this month’s edition of the New Internationalist (not something I do too often as I find it a bit too unremittingly worthy for my personal taste) I was entertained by a very amusing article by Peter Greenwall, where, amongst other things, he discusses what he called the ‘improper use’ of warning labels - the habit of giving people ideas by warning them against something. Some of the amusing examples he gave are:
- You may eat all the fruit in the Garden of Eden except the apple.
- This photocopier may not be used for photocopying intimate body parts.
- The Superman costume does not enable you to fly.
- Do not use your electric toothbrush for any other purpose.
- You may not use your webcam to show your genitals to anyone.
- Your Celine Dion CDs may not be used for clay pigeon shooting.
- Do not use your computer to download free music.
Here’s a little challenge. What warning notices can you come up with that might achieve unwanted consequences?
I think the worst offenders are items labelled “Caution - Flammable!” and “Danger Explosive!”
Especially batteries and aerosols that state “Do not destroy in a fire!” I’d never have considered it normally…
Or the numerous everyday products that state the dangers and risk of death when inhaled for “recreational” purposes…
I remember stumbling upon one of these as a whippersnapper and my first thought was “Hell… never knew you could get a cheap high off this!”.
Negative Ones
- Don’t try this at home
- Don’t feed the animals
- You shall not covet your neighbour’s wife
Lacking “no” but still negative
It was very educational when I read Leviticus in my early teens!
Lev. 20:
15 And if a man lie with a beast, he shall surely be put to death: and ye shall slay the beast.
16: And if a woman approach unto any beast, and lie down thereto, thou shalt kill the woman, and the beast: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.
I don’t think warnings put ideas into people’s minds. I think it’s precisely the other way about: the warnings have been given because people were doing these things. After all, you would never say “Don’t shout” to a child who is talking quietly, would you? Humans don’t need ideas putting into their heads. The ideas grow there naturally.
The real conundrum is why so many things are thought to be so bad that people must be told not to do them. Or why some people think they have the authority to issue these prohibitions. A multi-purpose electric toothbrush sounds a rather jolly idea.
Most fake prohibitions intended to amuse are silly and not funny. The only one that made me smile was a notice beside an ornamental lake in the grounds of a theological college. It read “Please do not walk on the water”.
haha yeah those sort of signs tend to bring out the inquisitive nature of both myself and my children. We wonder what would happen if we did them. I once for some reason said to my children, “you must never go up to people and ask for things.” I could see a light glimmering in their eyes as they thought what a jolly good idea that sounded and it had clearly never crossed their minds before.
It was like the article on the news last night about people shoplifting and then getting credit notes and then selling those on ebay. I’d never thought of that before - either as a con or in terms of trying to buy credit notes on ebay. But what a clever scam. I’m sure ebay is heaving with people trying to buy them today.
Funny you should talk about pink elephants though as we have a trail of elephant sculptures that have just appeared in the city and wherever I go at the moment I see a pink elephant or a blue one or a spotted one. Most surreal.
“I don’t think warnings put ideas into people’s minds. “
I don’t think it is a matter of opinion. It is a fact, as proven by studies done on effective communication. In fact, when persuasion is taught, students are told to keep negatives to a minimum, because the brain drops the negative (no, don’t) and remembers only the rest.
Lorena
I don’t think I’ll be able to read Leviticus in the same way again! (But then I’m probably not going to read Leviticus ever again anyway.)
Reluctant Blogger
DON’T think of the elephants, especially not the pink ones!
Re: Leviticus - I’m not sure I would ever have considered the possibility of sex with something other than another member of homo sapiens. The idea that such warnings are devised because someone thought of doing something and then went and did it, is probably correct. On the other hand, many people may never have thought about it at all until the warning was given. The warnings may be too late for some, and provocative for others.
I’m just happy to see that somebody actually read my article!
Thank you Thinking Man for commenting and posing the question.
Two funny warning signs I noticed in The Simpsons:
On Homer’s desk: ‘Plant Destruct - please do not push’ and another sign at Hooters:
‘Do not stare at the waitress’s enormous breasts’
In context with the rest of my book, I was using the ‘improper use’ warning sign as an example of how laws and rules inspire some kind of ART: Automatic Reverse Thinking,
vital for the creative process.
What’s my book you ask? It’s called ‘LOGICAL STUPIDITY - INNOVATION by
navigating through nonsense’
But before downloading your free version from my site, BE WARNED:
Navigating through nonsense is a fast and thrilling ride requiring courage, stupidity
and your own SPQV: Self-Propelled Question Vehicle.
If you’re sane, or suspect you might be sane, you should not ride.
The SPQV is powered by curiosity, a fuel made by burning aspiration and emotion
that splits your thoughts to create emotional instability. If you have clearly defined
principles, or you know how the universe works, you should not ride.
Be aware that as we enter undiscovered territories of insight, bright flashes of brilliance
will definitely occur.
You should also be aware that while inner space travel is just as fascinating as outer
space travelling, it’s also just as dangerous - things can go horribly wrong on re-entry
back to the physical world and should you make it, everything will be different.
For up-to-date travel information, read Chapter 9: Chasing the Unknown.
Please secure all loose thoughts and feelings as the management will not be held
responsible for any loss or damage to your current belief system.
No eating or drinking.
Enjoy the ride.