Exploring our complex relationship with the unexpected, from a couple's 68-year marriage experiment to the neuroscience behind why we both crave and fear surprises in our lives.

Surprise acts like a highlighting marker for memory. When something violates our expectations, our brains essentially say, 'This is important—file this away for future reference.'
샌프란시스코에서 컬럼비아 대학교 동문들이 만들었습니다
"Instead of endless scrolling, I just hit play on BeFreed. It saves me so much time."
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"Perfect balance between learning and entertainment. Finished ‘Thinking, Fast and Slow’ on my commute this week."
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"It is great for me to learn something from the book without reading it."
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"Makes me feel smarter every time before going to work"
샌프란시스코에서 컬럼비아 대학교 동문들이 만들었습니다

Lena: Hey Miles, have you ever thought about what it would be like to be married to someone for... oh, I don't know... 68 more years?
Miles: Sixty-eight years? That's oddly specific, Lena. But wow, that would take you well into your hundreds!
Lena: Exactly! I was just reading about this novel called "Surprise Me" where this couple, Sylvie and Dan, go to the doctor and get told they're so healthy they could live to be over 100—meaning they could be married for another 68 years. And instead of being thrilled, they completely freak out!
Miles: Oh my gosh, that's hilarious! I mean, you'd think most couples would be delighted to hear they're going to live long, healthy lives together, right?
Lena: You'd think! But it actually sent them into this existential crisis. Like, "How do we keep this interesting for SIXTY-EIGHT more years?" So they start this whole "Project Surprise Me" thing where they try to surprise each other to keep the marriage fresh.
Miles: I love that concept. You know, it speaks to something really fundamental about relationships and how we handle the unknown. We crave both stability and novelty, which is such a fascinating paradox.
Lena: Absolutely! And it got me thinking about how surprises play such an interesting role in our lives. Sometimes we actively seek them out, like with surprise vacations or mystery boxes. Other times, we're absolutely terrified of them. It's like we have this love-hate relationship with the unexpected.
Miles: That's so true. Let's explore this whole psychology of surprises and why they're such a powerful force in our lives—both the ones we choose and the ones that choose us.