The Toothbrush Mystery
Yesterday I was thinking about the little things we all do without quite thinking about them. One example would be how I get into my condo. It takes two key; one for the outer door to the building, and another, for the door to my apartment. I get out my key-ring, find the first key,and open the outer door. Then, as I am walking up the stairs to my apartment, somehow the other key (which is right next to it on the ring) is in my hand by the time I reach the door.
The more extreme examples of this are actions we do so subconsciously, that if we had to think about them, we probably couldn’t even do them.
Don’t believe me? Consider this:
Every night, we, or at least I, brush our teeth. This involves taking the cap off the toothpaste tube, applying the paste to the toothbrush, and then putting the cap back on.
Now, stop and think: With the tube in one hand, and the brush in the other, how do you get the cap back on?