English author Neil Gaiman has said that life is always going to be stranger than fiction because fiction has to be convincing, and life doesn't. Well, if these words needed any proof, there's a TikTok trend that vividly illustrates their essence.
It was started by Ellery (@dentedmilk), who posted a video on Thanksgiving of herself and an old photo of her great-great-great-grandmother that she said died in 1923 during childbirth. 100 years later, Ellery is now around her age.
Throughout the video, a haunting, robotic-sounding voice sings "Well you don't know me, but I know you. And I've got a message," from Laurie Anderson's song 'O Superman.'
The clip has since amassed 6.2 million views and inspired other people to share their own eerie experiences using the tune as well.
@dentedmilk She’s my great great grandmother who died in 1923 during childbirth. I’m around her age, 100 years later. Her name is Jessie.
♬ You dont know me - ellery
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The cashier thought we were crazy when we were trying to tell her why we were freaking out lmao what are the odds.
While the exact definition of what each of us considers eerie differs, the underlying cause is more or less the same.
"[Creepy is] about the uncertainty of threat. You’re feeling uneasy because you think there might be something to worry about here, but the signals are not clear enough to warrant your doing some sort of desperate, life-saving kind of thing,” Frank McAndrew, professor of psychology at Knox College in Illinois, United States, explained.
I'm not crying, you're crying!!! My daughter's dog crossed the rainbow bridge 4 days ago. So this makes me so happy to see
My grandma's CB name was ladybug 🐞 and I find them everywhere in my mom's house. All year round. It gives me so much hope that our souls and love live on.
Even the way our bodies respond to the triggers is similar.
In 2012, researchers from the University of Groningen in the Netherlands found that when subjects felt creeped out, they felt colder and believed that the temperature in the room had actually dropped.
Chilling, indeed!
I get that it's genetics here, I do, but if it brings his mom comfort feeling like her brother is still around I think it's still lovely. <3
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That's how genetics works sometimes, folks. Nothing "supernatural" here.
Yeah, I'm trying not to p**s on all of these, but it's not spooky that people that share DNA look alike....
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Not going to do this when I die. My siblings have suffered enough.
It‘s just the hair. Give him a different haircut and they will look nothing alike. Different eyes, different grin, different nose… I hope they don‘t tell him he is the reincarnation of his uncle. Way to ruin a child.
Again, I fail to see the coincidence here? That's genetics.
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Reincarnation maybe? None of us know for absolute certainty what happens after we die.
I don't call it a coincidence but have sth similar with me and my mother's late sister - she died at age of 12 when I was a few months. When looking at our photos throughout growing up it's hard to tell who is who. Really, I have a few photos that neither me nor my mom or grandma knows anymore if they shows me or her, sometimes we could guess only by the surroundings. Especially one (two) photos when we were 11 take in school (we were in the same school) we both take it in the same place and have the same haircut and 'Mona Lisa' smile.
So either this is the proof that (physical) reincarnation exists, or his deceased uncle had an identical twin brother, which in turn would mean that the mother went out for ice cream with her brother-in-law about 3 months after her husband's death and...anyway......well guys, looks like reincarnation is real...🙋🏽 🕉️ 🤷🏽
It is called BIOLOGY AND GENETICS, you f u c k ing delusional IDIOTS.
That physical response further heightens our senses.
"You don't know how to act but you’re really concerned about getting more information," McAndrew said.
"It kind of takes your attention and focuses it like a laser on this particular stimulus, whatever it is."
That gave me goosebumps! It's beautiful to know that he is there with you looking out for you! I love these stories because they remind me to have faith in things you can't see or touch but that you definitely feel 💕❤️
As we can see from the pictures, it can be a lot of things, situations, places and, of course, people.
"We're predisposed to see willful agents that mean us harm in situations that are ambiguous, but this was an adaptive thing to do,” McAndrew said.
Our ancestors saw saber-toothed tigers in every shadow and a slithering snake in the motion of the swaying grass because it was better to be safe than sorry.
That is like spooky amazing. Not exactly terrifying.. more like reassurance with goosebumps.
That's amazing. I love these stories so much, I choose to have faith in something much bigger than ourselves. It's beautiful!
McAndrew pointed out that truly creepy things and situations are not attractive. At all.
"We don't enjoy real creepy situations, and we will avoid them like the plague," he said. "Like if there's a person who creeps you out, you'll cross the street to get away.”
What we do enjoy is playacting, in the same way we enjoy the thrill of watching a horror movie.
This one is a bit creepy with the image of the future girlfriend staring out of the window, like a ghost.
It took a minute to understand what she saw…center left in picture #2 is almost a perfect shadow of the dad in his baseball hat
McAndrew and other psychologists, anthropologists, and even author Stephen King agree that horror films are a safe place for us to explore our fears and rehearse what we would do if, say, zombies tore apart our town.
Maybe these TikToks are too?
Note: this post originally had 40 images. It’s been shortened to the top 30 images based on user votes.
Do people don't know about genetics? Yeah, you look slightly similar to a member of your family, who would have thought!
but I look just like our postman, that's not genetics
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One mildly interesting story of coincidence in my family. My parents lived in a very small village quite some distance from where they were both born. When visiting the church, we noticed a sign showing the names of the previous vicars, and one of them was almost the same as our family name, with one letter different. Some years later a relative did some research on our family tree and I followed it up with a bit more detail. Turns out the vicar was in fact my great-great-great-great-grand-father (b. 1781). He married into a farming family, and several generations farmed somewhat nearer to where my parents were born, and those farms still exist along with headstones in the local churchyard.
I want it to be my job to randomly text people "I love you" or "I miss you" or "I'm proud of you" from dead people's numbers. Is that a job someone can have? Seems like it'd be helpful to people.
Maybe not. What if you are finally dealing with the loss of a loved one and get that message? Would rly f with your emotional well-being
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I, personally, don't believe that the spirits of loved ones watch over us or communicate with us, but many do, and if I'm being honest, I sometimes wish that I did. I imagine those beliefs bring people comfort, but I just don't have them. I honestly don't know if that makes me better off, or worse. But I don't suppose it matters much.
yeah I feel sad for some of these people because they will spend the rest of their lives waiting for their phone or tshirt or bottle cap to send them another random message from their dearly departed. Really sad.
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My cousin & I. We hadn't seen each other in a long time, and the only coincidence we were aware of was that our kids were born on the same date (Jan 23) 12 years apart. Then we finally got together & started talking just to find out: My first car was a white Ford Focus that I later traded in for a golden Toyota Corolla; Her first car was a white Ford Focus that she later traded in for a golden Toyota Corolla. I had a German Shepherd named Vincent; She had a GS named Vincent. I moved into my house in May 2004; She moved into her apartment in May 2004. There were more 'coincidences' that I will not delve into. I do not have an explanation for that 🤷♂️
I find it quite disturbing how many of these seem to actually believe that there's something more than coincidence at play. Nom that butterfly/deer is not the spirit of your departed loved one.
It helps people cope and brings them happiness. Nothing wrong with that.
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WHY, for fùck's sake, is there a tikfuck video trying to open at the very start of the page? I've neve noticed that before, but what the eff, BP?
I'm going to use tikfuck from on too! Thanks for that one!
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Meh. Most of these are stretching it a bit...but there were just enough goosebump-poppers to keep me reading. My only coincidental story is that my parents were in an antique mall on the other side of the state and bought the most horrible picture just for the frame. They got it home, Dad popped the frame, and the address of their house was written across the back of the picture. We reframed it and hung it in our dining room. Just in case.
i have a pic of me and my dad wearing the same white t-shirt, the same plaid jacket, and the same shade of blue jeans and black sneakers. we showed up for a surprise visit bc he was back early from a long haul (hes a truck driver) he didnt know we were coming and neither of us knew what the other was wearing. momma (step mom, but she momma to me) snapped a picture. theres no doubt we are dad and daughter. we have the same face shape, same smile, same hair color and eye color. i love that picture
Managed to find a cookbook printed in the 1980s. One of the recipes was contributed by the friend's mom, she died in 2000. His copy of the cookbook got lost (or I think stolen by a family member). Made an awesome and sentimental Christmas present 🙂
My brother had intended to take Mom to the opening of the Lake Placid Olympics, but he passed a few years earlier. Mom and her cat were in the living room to watch the opening on TV, when the cat went to the door, hissing and spitting. She mildly freaked out during the entire opening, which was several hours. The minute the opening was over, the cat started acting normally again. Mom said my brother came to watch with her.
I'm convinced cats and other animals see more than we realize.
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For many of these, I think, people are not *finding* meaning in them so much as they are being reminded and reassured of meaning. It's serendipity; that is, not a *supernatural* coincidence, but the wonderful ability of human beings to spot a freak occurrence and to see very real meaning in it.
Met my gf in college where both of us were trying to get a educational bachelor (so, to become a teacher), both fell in love and we started dating and when I visited her and my inlaws, they told how they met...in college, both trying to pursue an educational bachelor
Do people don't know about genetics? Yeah, you look slightly similar to a member of your family, who would have thought!
but I look just like our postman, that's not genetics
Load More Replies... One mildly interesting story of coincidence in my family. My parents lived in a very small village quite some distance from where they were both born. When visiting the church, we noticed a sign showing the names of the previous vicars, and one of them was almost the same as our family name, with one letter different. Some years later a relative did some research on our family tree and I followed it up with a bit more detail. Turns out the vicar was in fact my great-great-great-great-grand-father (b. 1781). He married into a farming family, and several generations farmed somewhat nearer to where my parents were born, and those farms still exist along with headstones in the local churchyard.
I want it to be my job to randomly text people "I love you" or "I miss you" or "I'm proud of you" from dead people's numbers. Is that a job someone can have? Seems like it'd be helpful to people.
Maybe not. What if you are finally dealing with the loss of a loved one and get that message? Would rly f with your emotional well-being
Load More Replies... I, personally, don't believe that the spirits of loved ones watch over us or communicate with us, but many do, and if I'm being honest, I sometimes wish that I did. I imagine those beliefs bring people comfort, but I just don't have them. I honestly don't know if that makes me better off, or worse. But I don't suppose it matters much.
yeah I feel sad for some of these people because they will spend the rest of their lives waiting for their phone or tshirt or bottle cap to send them another random message from their dearly departed. Really sad.
Load More Replies... My cousin & I. We hadn't seen each other in a long time, and the only coincidence we were aware of was that our kids were born on the same date (Jan 23) 12 years apart. Then we finally got together & started talking just to find out: My first car was a white Ford Focus that I later traded in for a golden Toyota Corolla; Her first car was a white Ford Focus that she later traded in for a golden Toyota Corolla. I had a German Shepherd named Vincent; She had a GS named Vincent. I moved into my house in May 2004; She moved into her apartment in May 2004. There were more 'coincidences' that I will not delve into. I do not have an explanation for that 🤷♂️
I find it quite disturbing how many of these seem to actually believe that there's something more than coincidence at play. Nom that butterfly/deer is not the spirit of your departed loved one.
It helps people cope and brings them happiness. Nothing wrong with that.
Load More Replies... WHY, for fùck's sake, is there a tikfuck video trying to open at the very start of the page? I've neve noticed that before, but what the eff, BP?
I'm going to use tikfuck from on too! Thanks for that one!
Load More Replies... Meh. Most of these are stretching it a bit...but there were just enough goosebump-poppers to keep me reading. My only coincidental story is that my parents were in an antique mall on the other side of the state and bought the most horrible picture just for the frame. They got it home, Dad popped the frame, and the address of their house was written across the back of the picture. We reframed it and hung it in our dining room. Just in case.
i have a pic of me and my dad wearing the same white t-shirt, the same plaid jacket, and the same shade of blue jeans and black sneakers. we showed up for a surprise visit bc he was back early from a long haul (hes a truck driver) he didnt know we were coming and neither of us knew what the other was wearing. momma (step mom, but she momma to me) snapped a picture. theres no doubt we are dad and daughter. we have the same face shape, same smile, same hair color and eye color. i love that picture
Managed to find a cookbook printed in the 1980s. One of the recipes was contributed by the friend's mom, she died in 2000. His copy of the cookbook got lost (or I think stolen by a family member). Made an awesome and sentimental Christmas present 🙂
My brother had intended to take Mom to the opening of the Lake Placid Olympics, but he passed a few years earlier. Mom and her cat were in the living room to watch the opening on TV, when the cat went to the door, hissing and spitting. She mildly freaked out during the entire opening, which was several hours. The minute the opening was over, the cat started acting normally again. Mom said my brother came to watch with her.
I'm convinced cats and other animals see more than we realize.
Load More Replies... For many of these, I think, people are not *finding* meaning in them so much as they are being reminded and reassured of meaning. It's serendipity; that is, not a *supernatural* coincidence, but the wonderful ability of human beings to spot a freak occurrence and to see very real meaning in it.
Met my gf in college where both of us were trying to get a educational bachelor (so, to become a teacher), both fell in love and we started dating and when I visited her and my inlaws, they told how they met...in college, both trying to pursue an educational bachelor
