Tuesday, November 27, 2007

New Theory of Dreams


I've always considered myself pretty lucky in the dream department, because I have them and can remember them most every night. But recently I've noticed that yes, I have them, and remember them, and enjoy them, but objectively, they're all pretty bad. Occasionally something fun and elaborate will happen, and then there are the funny set pieces like the time Beavis and Butthead and I were riding that roller coaster singing "If you believed in miracles, baby, so would I," but typically it's more like this: something's gone wrong at work that I have to fix, or I am a dj and can't cue up my record in time, or I can't park my car, or I have to eat worms. It's just one damn thing after another -- like life, only much moreso.

Antti Revonsuo, a researcher at the University of Turku, in Finland, has a new theory that the purpose of dreams is to allow us (and animals) to practice facing threats. They are "a dojo for perfecting waking activities." Read about it here.





7 comments:

badbadbrain said...

Hey, that Beavis and Butthead dream is kind of like the dream you had that one time when you went for a hot air balloon ride with the cartoon character HENRY. Except I guess Henry didn't say anything quite as provocative.

Chris Martin said...

I had several vivid dreams recently about tornadoes. They were coming right at me then would somehow miss me.

By the way, congratulations on starting a blog.

Mary Beth said...

Response to Joseph: My recollection is that YOU had that dream about Henry and the balloon, not me.

Response to Chris: Thank you!

badbadbrain said...

Response to MB: No, I'm positive it was you. Also,"Love Rollercoaster" was on the Beavis and Butthead Do America soundtrack. Also, I just realized that Beavis AND Butthead were SINGING "If you believed in miracles...etc." (like that totally awesome Jefferson Starship song) I read it wrong the first time. I had pictured it being just Butthead saying (in his "come to Butthead" voice)..."If you believed in miracles, Baby, so would I."

OH, and also, it wasn't a dream...you CAN'T park your car and you DO have to eat worms!

Mary Beth said...

To Joseph: How are you POSITIVE it was me who dreamed about Henry, when you were only four years old at that time?

Also, Beavis and Butthead DID feature the song Love RollerCoaster... and it came out the same year I had the dream... but I had the dream in June and the movie was released in December. Ooh... spooky.

badbadbrain said...

No, I'm positive you had the Henry dream. I think you were in your late teens. Are you thinking of the dream I had about Eddie Haskell? I was four when I had that one.

Anonymous said...

Yesterday night I had one dream. That is so strange. Strange places, strange people. But I remember all the good or bad dreams. I am very shock to see the original dream. That is my problem. So anyone can give information about this.
==============
rose786
Dual Diagnosis

Dual Diagnosis