Category: Language

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Worst Thing About Being Normal

Dr. David Weeks, a psychologist, has studied eccentric people extensively. He has discovered that eccentric people are typically more intelligent and have a better sense of humor than the average population. They are healthier, visiting the doctor only 1/24 as often as typical folks, and live from five to ten years longer than average! When asked about their happiness, eccentrics report that they are quite happy.

10 Notable Instances of Eccentric People and Their Actions

  1. Lord Timothy Dexter (1747–1806)

    The Eccentricity: A poorly educated 18th-century merchant who gained immense wealth through wildly counterintuitive business moves. He famously exported warming pans (used to warm cold beds) to the tropical West Indies, where locals bought them to use as molasses ladles.

    The Action: Curiosity about his own social standing led him to fake his own death. Around 3,000 people attended his lavish mock funeral—during which Dexter revealed himself to the crowd and publicly berated his wife for not crying enough during the service.

  2. Nikola Tesla (1856–1943)

    The Eccentricity: The brilliant electrical pioneer operated under severe obsessive-compulsive traits, particularly an intense fixation on the number three and a profound aversion to spherical objects.

    The Action: Before entering any building, Tesla walked around its perimeter three times. During meals, he required exactly 18 napkins to polish his dining utensils, and he famously refused to speak to or interact with any woman wearing pearl jewelry.

  3. Tycho Brahe (1546–1601)

    The Eccentricity: The famed Danish astronomer maintained a flamboyant lifestyle at his island observatory, keeping a wide array of unusual companions.

    The Action: Brahe kept a fully domesticated adult moose that roamed his castle freely and sat at the dinner table like a household dog. The moose died after drinking a vast quantity of beer at a dinner party and falling down the castle stairs.

  4. Benjamin Franklin (1706–1790)

    The Eccentricity: The American polymath held unusual views on personal hygiene and respiratory health, believing that traditional water baths were less effective than exposure to fresh air.

    The Action: Every morning, Franklin took what he called an “air bath.” He would sit entirely nude in his first-floor room for an hour with the windows wide open, regardless of the season, while reading, writing, and drafting letters. He lived to the age of 83 which was rare in his era.

  5. President Lyndon B. Johnson (1908–1973)

    The Eccentricity: The 36th U.S. President owned an Amphicar – a rare civilian vehicle designed to operate on both land and water.

    The Action: Johnson routinely terrified guests visiting his Texas ranch by driving them downhill toward his lake in the car, shouting at the top of his lungs that the brakes had failed, right before plunging into the water and cruising along smoothly.

  6. Salvador Dalí (1904–1989)

    The Eccentricity: The surrealist painter turned his entire public life into an artistic performance, using absurdity to generate inspiration and control his surroundings.

    The Action: Dalí bought a pet ocelot named Babou, which he brought on a leash to high-end restaurants in New York and Paris. When a diner expressed fear over the wild predator, Dalí calmly assured her it was just a domestic cat he had painted with spots.

  7. Michelangelo (1475–1564)

    The Eccentricity: The Renaissance master was intensely secretive and displayed an extreme disregard for personal comfort and hygiene while absorbed in his work.

    The Action: Michelangelo rarely changed his clothing or took off his leather boots while sculpting or painting, often sleeping in them for weeks at a time. Contemporary biographers noted that when he finally removed his boots, skin would frequently peel off with them.

  8. Henry Cavendish (1731–1810)

    The Eccentricity: The English scientist who discovered hydrogen suffered from extreme social anxiety, particularly around women, to the extent that he avoided all face-to-face contact.

    The Action: Cavendish built a separate private entrance and staircase in his house so he would never accidentally bump into his female house servants. He communicated with his household staff exclusively through written notes left on the dining table.

  9. Dr. Seuss (Theodor Geisel) (1904–1991)

    The Eccentricity: When facing creative blocks, the beloved author used unusual tactile and visual stimulation to reset his mental focus.

    The Action: Geisel maintained a hidden closet containing over 300 elaborate hats—ranging from firefighter helmets to obscure military caps. Whenever he suffered writer’s block, he would sit in his office wearing a wacky hat until inspiration struck, occasionally forcing his dinner guests to wear them as well.

  10. Honoré de Balzac (1799–1850)

    The Eccentricity: The French novelist relied on massive sensory stimulation to fuel his marathon writing sessions, which often lasted 15 hours a day.

    The Action: Balzac consumed an estimated 40 to 50 cups of thick black coffee daily. When fluid coffee was no longer fast-acting enough, he began eating dry, crushed coffee grounds directly on an empty stomach to maintain continuous energy.

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The Worst Plot Twist in Human Evolution

In 1995 your author stated,

“Professor Julian Jaynes has written a controversial book called The Origin of Consciousness in the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind. In the book he hypothesizes that consciousness as we know it did not develop in man until about 2000 BC. Until then, we did not think introspectively, he says. In fact, people were probably more like modern-day schizophrenics, in whom there appear to be two minds. One, controlled by the left hemisphere of the brain takes actions, and the other, controlled by the right side, dreams and hears voices. For proof, Mr. Jaynes (he walked away from the title of Ph.D. although fully qualified) looks at ancient books including the Bible. In the Old Testament he says there is no mention of the subjective I, no introspective thinking, no sense of self. But in the later New Testament, the features of modern consciousness take shape.

“How could the pyramids and other construction take place then? Introspective thinking was not necessary, he asserts, just as you can drive a car without theorizing about how the car’s engine works.”

AI research has clarified the original statement about bicameral thinking

Yes, that summary is mostly true, accurately capturing the core premise and unique details of Julian Jaynes’s 1976 book, with a few subtle nuances:

Core Claims (Accurate to the Book)

The Thesis: Jaynes argued that human consciousness (defined specifically as subjective introspective self-awareness) evolved surprisingly late, around 1000–2000 BCE, driven by the collapse of ancient societies and the invention of writing.

The Bicameral Mind: He hypothesized that prior to this, human minds were split. When faced with stress or novel decisions, the brain’s right hemisphere generated auditory hallucinations, which the left hemisphere experienced as the literal “voice of the gods” directing their actions. He directly compared this state to modern auditory hallucinations in schizophrenia.

Textual Evidence: Jaynes analyzed ancient texts to track this shift. For example, he pointed out that the Iliad lacks words for internal mental states, with characters acting purely on impulse or divine command, whereas the Odyssey (written later) shows clear introspective thought and deceit. He drew a similar contrast between older and newer books of the Hebrew Bible.

Non-Conscious Complex Actions: Jaynes argued that complex routines—including architectural engineering, trade, and driving—do not require introspective consciousness, but rather learned habit, visual-spatial skill, and direct execution.

Clarifications & Nuances

Academic Title: Julian Jaynes never formally completed a Ph.D., though he completed the requirements at Yale (he delayed submitting his dissertation). He spent most of his academic career lecturing and researching as a Senior Research Psychologist at Princeton University.

Scientific Status: Jaynes’s theory remains highly controversial and is widely considered speculative within modern neuroscience, cognitive science, and evolutionary psychology, as mainstream science views consciousness as having evolved much earlier.

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Worst Name for a Woman

Socrates was married to a woman named Xanthippe (pronounced zan-THIP-ee).

Her name comes from the Ancient Greek words xanthos (“yellow” or “blonde”) and hippos (“horse”), translating roughly to “yellow horse.”

In ancient literary tradition, most notably in writings by Xenophon and later Roman observers, Xanthippe was portrayed as notoriously sharp-tongued, quick-tempered, and argumentative. Her name eventually became a famous literary archetype (an eponym) in Western culture for a nagging, shrewish spouse.

However, modern historians generally view this reputation as exaggerated or unfair. Managing a household, raising three sons, and running a domestic life alongside a famous philosopher who famously took no payment for his work and spent all day debating in the market likely required immense patience!

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Worst Product Name

7-Up was originally called Bib-Label Lithiated Lemon-Lime Soda when it was invented in 1929. The first advertising slogan for 7-Up was, “It takes the ouch out of grouch.”

Interesting Facts About 7UP

A deep dive into the history, myths, science, and pop culture of the iconic lemon-lime beverage.

It originally contained a mood-stabilizing drug

When invented in 1929 by Charles Leiper Grigg, the soft drink contained lithium citrate, a mood-stabilizing drug used to treat bipolar disorder and depression. The original name was “Bib-Label Lithiated Lemon-Lime Soda,” and it was marketed as a hangover cure and mood booster. Lithium remained an ingredient until 1948.

The origin of the name “7UP” remains a mystery

Grigg never publicly explained why he named it 7UP. Popular theories include:

  • It contained 7 ingredients and the bubbles went UP.
  • Lithium’s atomic mass is approximately 7.
  • The original bottle was 7 ounces.
  • It was a reference to a popular dice game (“7 Up”).

It was launched right before the Great Depression

The soda hit the market on October 26, 1929—just two days before the Wall Street Crash of 1929 (“Black Monday”). Despite the economic collapse, its patent-medicine marketing and catchy flavor helped it thrive during tough economic times.

The mascot “Spot” was created by an iconic video game animator

In 1987, 7UP introduced its mascot “Cool Spot”—a red dot taken directly from the hyphen in the 7UP logo, wearing sunglasses. Spot was created by video game developer David Perry, who went on to create famous games like Earthworm Jim. Spot even starred in his own popular Super Nintendo and Sega Genesis video games in the early 1990s.

It coined the term “Uncola”

In 1968, 7UP launched one of the most famous advertising campaigns in history, positioning itself as the “Uncola.” Featuring actor and dancer Geoffrey Holder, the campaign positioned 7UP as the refreshing, non-caffeinated alternative to dominant cola brands like Coca-Cola and Pepsi.

Two different companies own 7UP globally

Unlike most global brands managed by a single parent company, 7UP is owned by Keurig Dr Pepper in the United States, while PepsiCo holds the rights to manufacture and distribute 7UP in almost all international markets.

It was a pioneer in sugar-free sodas

In 1963, 7UP introduced “Like,” one of the earliest diet sodas on the market. It was later rebranded as Diet 7UP in 1970, making it a pioneer in the mainstream sugar-free beverage market long before Diet Coke existed.

“7UP Gold” was one of the biggest soft drink flops in history

In 1988, the company released 7UP Gold, a cinnamon-spiced, amber-colored, caffeinated soda designed to compete with traditional colas. Consumers were confused by a caffeinated, dark 7UP, and the product was discontinued after less than a year.

The classic green bottle was chosen for a functional reason

The distinct green glass bottle wasn’t just a design choice—it was functional. Dark green glass shielded the lemon and lime oils in the recipe from sunlight and ultraviolet rays, which could oxidize the natural oils and spoil the soda’s flavor profile.