Self-fulfilling Prophecies

A self-fulfilling prophecy (SFP) is a thought virus that eventually manifests as true. SFP can be shown in many areas, such as

• education: when the instructor thinks a student is incapable, they show less attention, eventually making them less capable

• finance: when people believe something is bullish, they collect more, ultimately driving the stock price up

• relationships: when people have less faith in each other, they start becoming clingy or skeptical, which will subsequently make the relationship suffer

The biggest and most significant SFP in real life are bank runs. In the mid-1930s, many believed that banks were unstable and, therefore, would fail. Thus, many withdrew their money, which made banks even less liquid, creating a vicious cycle. Many of them eventually went bankrupt.

The solution to SFP is often straightforward, yet not easy. (hey, simple ≠ easy.)

It’s faith.

SFP happens because of skepticism and suspicion. All you need is a strong guarantor. Think of why governments actively intervene in the market when they are wary of bank runs.

Well, let’s have more faith in ourselves… Don’t let that SFP gobble you up.

Written 100% by a human.