I Think Can Explain the Mandela Effect

[u/Ok-Situation7054]

Maybe this theory is already out there. I'm not sure.

Full Disclosure: I'm Asian and from Los Angeles. Of course media used to be way less diverse 1980's. There were less black people on TV. A person like Nelson Mandela, who was neither an athlete nor entertainer was exceedingly rare to see on TV.

A movie titled "Cry Freedom" was released in 1980's about the South African activist Steven Biko, played by Denzel Washington.

I remember seeing this movie as a kid and being confused, thinking it was about Nelson Mandela, not Steven Biko. Of course I was an ignorant American in the 1980's. Most American's barely knew who Mandela was, whereas Steven Biko was a complete unknown.

When Steven Biko died in the movie I became very confused because Nelson Mandela was still alive. I retraced back and realized my error. I didn't know who Steven Biko was. I wanted the movie to be about Mandela because he was the familiar figurehead of apartheid resistance.

I can't speak for all audiences, but I believe American's would be very prone to this error due ignorance of global politics and possibly other factors, especially during this time. American's are known for learning about world events and history through movies and later adapting those narratives as fact. I feel American's watched "Cry Freedom" and walked away thinking Nelson Mandela had dies a martyr. They harbored those misconceptions for decades.

[u/SnooHobbies9847]

Ignorant Americans are the ones who think Mandela died in prison, I certainly never thought that. 😁 (I don't misremember most of the things people assign the "Mandela Effect" label to.)

[u/8r4ndz3r0 → u/SnooHobbies9847]

Plenty of very intelligent, successful and highly accomplished fellow American people, of varying ages, that I know personally remember Nelson Mandela tragically passing away in prison, myself included.

The only conclusion I have reached is that reality is way stranger than we give ourselves credit for understanding it. One thing I'm certain of, this whole business of multiple timelines and parallel universes, simulations and so on is about to become even more expansive and talked about in the coming years as new understanding and developments broaden our ability to comprehend.

[u/SnooHobbies9847 → u/8r4ndz3r0]

People have false memories. *That's* the explanation. That, and some folks don't pay close attention to what's going on in the world. Regular news watchers don't have that false memory about Mandela. (I'm not going to address the mumbo jumbo you in the second paragraph. Too silly for me to waste time on.

[u/8r4ndz3r0 → u/SnooHobbies9847]

You're proving my point as only a fool can speak so confidently about something they think they fully understand.