He only proposed the cat thing to show how ridiculous it is to apply quantum mechanics to macroscopic objects. Unfortunately the sarcasm was missed and it became the standard example of quantum mechanics.

What if the world was flat, like a disc. A discworld, so to say. And it is like this because the corner of the cosmos it floats through is just a bit more absurd than regular reality.

Other way around. If your fantasy / sci-fi novel does not sell well, rebrand it as a new groundbreaking “history”. Include how it gets ridiculed by main stream science that does maliciously ignore all the evidence.

You have instantly gained a huge, uncritical customer and fan base.

Edited a few typos.

The base doesn’t help you if you push past it.

Not only kids. I would have to look for the papers, but there are enough behavioural studies on how people react when given alcohol. Many people start acting drunk when told that there is alcohol in their drinks, regardless of that being true. At the same time they do not act as obnoxiously drunk when given alcohol without their knowledge. The typical slurring of speech, loss of coordination and associated physical effects come into effect, but the behavioral changes are weaker. Up to the point where they realize they are drunk.

This together with the studies of drunken behavior across the globe has lead some researchers to posit the hypothesis that the behavior while drunk is more of a cultural effect, based on how the culture expects people to act while drunk.