 | Earworm inside the brain of a habitual heavy metal listener. |
Myths & Lore
Perhaps the most pervasive myth about earworms is that they are something external to our own mind. As the name implies, an earworm is a song that seems to “crawl in” through our ears and borough in our brain. Indeed, most survey respondents refer to earworms as an exogenous entity. (e.g., “Don’t fight it – that will only make it angry.”) This is a colorful metaphor, but nothing more. An earworm is just a product of one’s own mind – a case of mental control temporarily gone awry. “Never fight an earworm – you’ll only make it mad!” Fighting an earworm doesn’t really make it angrier, but trying harder to suppress an earworm (or any stuck thought) is usually counter-productive. There is also a myth that certain songs – “eraser tunes” – have magical properties that can erase a stuck song from one’s mind. Some people swear by the Flintstone’s theme song. Is there a universal eraser tune? Unfortunately, the answer is “no.” Although both distraction and replacement can be useful strategies to try, the danger is that the “eraser tune” will become your next earworm. One survey respondent reported that chewing on a cinnamon stick will unstuck a stuck tune. Crazy? Not really… Our attention is drawn automatically to salient stimuli in our environment. If a cinnamon stick is hot on the palate, it is likely to draw attention, distract us, and perhaps even break the pattern of involuntary repetition of an annoying earworm. Yet another survey respondent claimed that certain martial arts moves – particularly those that involve moving backward – can un-stick a stuck tune. Might this “cure” operate through exercise? Distraction? Self-mastery? Or just showing the earworm who’s in control? I dunno. The only martial art I’ve ever practiced is “Shu Ting” Personal Stories Until there is a “cure” for earworms, take comfort in knowing that you are not alone… Coming Soon... Have you an earworm story to contribute? Please send it to Earworms@UC.edu for possible posting on this page.
|
