The Berenst...What Bears?

[FlightlessDuck]

Yes, it's spelled Berenstain. But it's pronounced "Berensteen" as far as I know. Our local amusement park used to have a children's area devoted to the bears. Stan & Jan were from Philadelphia.

There's some nutty theory called The Mandela Effect (coined by woo profiteer Fiona Broome). Apparently people think they are from an alternate timeline where Nelson Mandela died in prison in the 80's, or that Stan Berenstain spelled his name differently. Or that there are 52 states in the U.S., or that the opening line to Mr. Roger's is "it's a beautiful day in the neighborhood" (instead of "this neighborhood"), or that dilemma is spelled with an "n".

I got to be honest, though, I got tripped up by "dilemma" last week.

 

[maelstrom]

This is one of the biggest parts of the Mandela Effect. Basically, the theory goes that at some point in the last few decades there were one (or more) time shifts and in these kind of parallel universes, certain things are different. As noted, two of the biggest parts of this are Berenstein vs Berenstain and the timing of the death of Nelson Mandela. Some people also recall there being more than 50 United States, and that certain landmasses have drastically changed where they are on the map (New Zealand is a common one).

 

[smiths02]

This is one of the biggest parts of the Mandela Effect. Basically, the theory goes that at some point in the last few decades there were one (or more) time shifts and in these kind of parallel universes, certain things are different. As noted, two of the biggest parts of this are Berenstein vs Berenstain and the timing of the death of Nelson Mandela. Some people also recall there being more than 50 United States, and that certain landmasses have drastically changed where they are on the map (New Zealand is a common one).

I went and read some of the Fiona Broome stuff. Every single one of the things she points out has a really good explanation why it might be misremembered by a large group of people. Many of these reasons, in fact, studied and published in peer-reviewed journals.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

I went at read some of the Fiona Broome stuff. Every single one of the things she points out has a really good explanation why it might be misremembered by a large group of people. Many of these reasons, in fact, studied and published in peer-reviewed journals.

John Green did a video on "Flashbulb memories". He distinctly remembers finding dog feces in his NES as a child, and nobody else in the family remembers that happening.

 

[smiths02]

John Green did a video on "Flashbulb memories". He distinctly remembers finding dog feces in his NES as a child, and nobody else in the family remembers that happening.

I had a cat that did actually pee on my NES and ruin it.

I was in college during 9/11, and I didn't participate in the studies, but I know that professors at Emory were doing replica studies of the one he mentioned in the video.

 

[MattsPrincess]

It was an experience reading through all the Mandela Effect stuff. Most of them are either very easy to explain, or just plain stupid (like how a bunch of people apparently remember 9/11/01 actually happening on the 10th...?) but I have to admit this one is messing with my head, lol. I was so sure it was a E.

 

[NotUrsula]

I guarantee you that it has always been BerenstAin. I'm a librarian, and I managed a public library at the time they were at the height of their popularity. I was always having to tell people they were spelling it wrong when they tried to use the catalog to find particular titles.

In addition, the personal copies that I have date from when my now-28 yo niece was small, and they are all BerenstAin.

{PS: For the record, I *hate* those books. The insufferably preachy tone of the writing is completely off-putting to me.)

 

[KateP85]

I literally read one of these books to my little boy this morning and could have sworn it was Berenstein. But I just went to check the book and nope, definitely with an A. I've been pronouncing it Beren-stEEn though. I grew up in England and I don't think we had those books over there; if we did, I don't remember them. But my husband loves them and has kept all of his books to give to our son.

 

[bsblady01]

I loved these books as a kid, my kids are reading these books now

 

[Imzadi]

I don't care how they spell it. I hate those bears. I always wanted to slap one or more bears (both kids and parents) at least once per book. I soon realized I could do without those holier than thou bears.

Gee Robin, tell us how you really feel.

 

[Diznygrl]

I used to love The Berenstain Bears (yes, it has always been an A). My favorite was Too Much Junk Food, probably because I've always loved illustrations of food.

As for the false memory of it being Berenstein, my theory is that Berenstein is a more common name than Berenstain, so that's what people mistakenly read it as, and then continue to remember it as such years later. If you look up the name 'Berenstein' you get a lot of results for various people with that last name, but a search for 'Berenstain' only brings up the Bears.

 

[Ambear]

Haha I'd never heard of the Mandela effect but it was fun to read about. It reminds me of the deja vu is time travel theory.

 

[RooRach0906]

Last summer I found a movie and brought it for my daughter while on a girls trip with family so she could have a movie to watch one night. They (her and all my nieces) watched it over and over again that week and now she loves all the movies and books.

I got it for her because I loved the books and shows as a kid.

I voted wrong tho. Funny part, I just put the movie in an hour ago for her lol.