Self-Fulfilling Prophesy

making the two equal, with an equal outcome Self-Fulfilling Prophesy when they face each other and battle to the death.

While the modern self-fulfilling prophecy echoes the past, most would agree that the normal use of the term translates to attitude about events to come. While one’s attitude cannot necessarily influence the larger things, such as a hurricane or the possibility of an earthquake, one’s attitude can influence the smaller things, like the way we relate to other people and their responses to us.

Additionally, interpretations of things like "good" and "bad" tend to be weighted by one’s expectations. The person, who is going to have a bad day for example, might miss the bus because he is grumbling about the evil portents for the day. He might seem negative The self-fulfilling prophecy is a statement that or depressed at work, which might fuel nasty alters actions and therefore comes true. For responses from co-workers. As the day gets example, a person stating “I’m probably going worse, the person may then return home to to have a lousy day,” might alter his actions so fighting children, an unmade dinner or a fight that such a prediction is fulfilled by his actions. with a spouse. All things will be interpreted in a This may be an unconscious gesture. A person negative light. who might espouse a self-fulfilling prophecy in a positive way “I’m going to have a great day,” might act in ways that will actually make this Conversely, the person who is going to have a prediction true. good day, might miss the bus, but then get a ride from a friend, in which a useful conversation takes place. Even if a co-worker The self-fulfilling prophecy actually predates its seems nasty, the person might negotiate the name. Early examples of the self-fulfilling situation to come to a healthy resolution. If the prophecy are the Greek myths surrounding children are fighting at home, this might be an Oedipus. Oedipus fulfills the oracle’s prophecy opportunity to use one’s parenting skills, and that he will kill his father and marry his mother, an uncooked dinner might mean a chance to by striving to avoid the prophecy. This can be get one’s favorite pizza. The positive self- called a self-fulfilling prophecy because it is fulfilling prophecy allows one to shift Oedipus’ actions that make the prophecy true. interpretation of events.

Robert Merton, a 20th century sociologist, Understanding positive attitudes and the self- actually coined the term of self-fulfilling fulfilling prophecy are now particularly helpful prophecy. In his definition, in the book Social in dealing with long-term mental illness like Theory and Social Structure published in 1949, anxiety disorder, or chronic pain. Cognitive the prophecy or prediction is false but is made behavioral studies have shown that perception true by a person’s actions. In the modern and prediction of an illness’ course tends to sense the prophecy has neither false nor true influence experience of the illness. Cognitive value, but is merely a possibility that is made behavioral therapy focuses on learning to alter into probability by a person’s unconscious or perception to reduce chronic pain, or events conscious actions. like panic attacks. In this way, understanding of the self-fulfilling prophecy has led to greater Examples of the modern self-fulfilling prophecy success in treating difficult illnesses. abound in literature. For example, the Harry Potter series finale now revolves around Lord Voldemort hearing a partial version of a prophecy that he then made true by attacking Harry. In the attack, which failed, Voldemort transferred some of his powers to Harry,