The Will Ferrell Postulate. There is a tight correlation between the number of times someone has seen a Will Ferrel movie and whether they like said movie. For example, a person who has seen Anchorman once, will most likely say they think it is the worst movie ever made. However, someone who has watched Anchorman more than once will likely say it was hilarious. You can prove this postulate to yourself with a simple experiment: find a friend who is a "Saw it once, Hate it."-type regarding a Will Ferrell movie, and ask them to watch it with you. You will witness them laughing at many points throughout the film. At the end of the film, do not ask them if they liked it, because at this point there is a period of confusion stemming from the fact that your friend knew very well that he or she hated the movie before watching it a second time, but this time he or she actually enjoyed it. It is a strange occurrence that your friend needs time to process mentally. Weeks later, do not ask your friend if he or she liked the movie directly, as people do not like to go back on their previous decisions and beliefs. Instead, address the issue by randomly quoting your friend's new favorite Will Ferrell movie. Not surprisingly, your friend will chuckle, and perhaps even follow up with another quote, thus revealing their fondness of the once hated Will Ferrell movie.
You can use the Will Ferrell Postulate to amaze your friends with a mind-reading trick. Ask your friend if he or she likes a certain Will Ferrell movie. If they say, "Yes," confidently tell them that they have seen that movie more than once. If they say, "No," confidently tell them that they have seen that movie only once.
by TheSciNerd1 January 17, 2012