Can You Use the Force in Real Life?

A look at the study of psychokinesis.

Photo by Thomas Griesbeck on Unsplash

You know you’ve tried this. Don’t deny it.

You’re sitting alone in your living room, watching television, and when you reach for the remote to change the channel it’s not there. The horror washes over you realize that it’s clear across the room, on the other end table.

Cursing yourself for your lack of foresight, you do a slow burn and accept the stark reality that you are going to have to, like, get up or something. But then you hear the voice:

Use the Force, Luke.

Yes! The Force! There are stories that real people can do stuff like that — bend spoons and levitate stuff or whatever. What the heck, there’s nobody around. It’s worth a shot.

With one eye closed and your tongue sticking out, you call into focus all of your mental energy, and as the Star Wars theme song trumpets in your head, you raise an open hand at the distant remote control.

Nothing.

Not even a wobble.

Try again. No: Do or do not. There is no try! You must feel the Force around you, between you and the couch, the houseplant, the dog, even the remote.

Nothing.