@ellisjrosen

Made me smile
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[–] 25 points 1 year ago (6 children)

Whoever made up that saying, "A watched pot never boils," must have a very different brain from me.

I have no illusions that I'm capable of multitasking with my conscious attention, and if I'm watching a pot of water being heated to a boil, then that's all I'm watching, so it inevitably boils while I'm watching it.

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  • [–] 27 points 1 year ago (3 children)

    The meaning isn't literal, it is saying that waiting feels longer when you are focused on the thing.

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  • [–] 2 points 1 year ago

    The meaning can also be literal if you interpret it using quantum physics. Observing the quantum state of a molecule will collapse its wavefunction in the most likely state, which is the same state it was in if you observed it mere instants ago.

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  • [–] 7 points 1 year ago

    I grew up just following my mum around the kitchen. I remember literally watching pots of water boil. When the bubbles form and they look like eyes and stuff. When I heard the saying, I was always a bit confused until I realized I'm a weirdo.

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