As you may know, this week is officially Doppelgänger Week on Facebook. Apparently this is another viral Internet trend, when people post, as their profile picture, their celebrity look-alike. And for all you lads and lasses out there that don’t habla German, let me define it for you: doppelgänger, noun – a ghostly double or counterpart of a living person. With that information, I would like to reveal my doppelgänger: drumroll please ... Thom Yorke, the lead singer of Radiohead. And what’s even better about that, is that he’s truly ghostly. Not only does he look strikingly similar to me, but I’m not sure whether he’s alive. Unconfirmed theories have been floating around that he’s a cyborg, what with that droopy eye of his. Apparently, he can see into the future with it. And he can cook even the most delicate of meats with his bare, cybernetic hands. It’s true, I swear it. And you heard it here first, folks.

Anyways, what I’d like to explore more fully is the nature of this Doppelgänger Week. Why is it happening? What does it tell us about our society as a whole? And most importantly, how do I, James Rasmussen, feel about the whole thing? I am, as it turns out, a columnist for a university newspaper. My opinion is heard, guys. It matters. Big time.

With this in mind, and drawing on my inexhaustible knowledge of cognitive, behavioral and social psychology, aka my roommate Stu, I was able to sketch some theories. One such theory is that this activity could stem from the innate tendency we have as human beings, to try and associate ourselves with something larger than our current status or social paradigm, such as joining a club, team or maybe a porcelain kitten collection guild. It makes us feel like we are stronger, or better than we actually are, as if the mere association with a figure of fame and fortune will enhance our own abilities. Take my friend, for example. He put a shirtless picture of Brad Pitt as his doppelgänger, in all his chiseled, Herculean glory. Maybe he is trying to tell the world that, Hey, I have six-pack abs, perfectly sculpted facial features and shave my entire body. Maybe. Probably, huh, Mike?

So that may be why this is happening. People are just trying to let everyone know about what they’re really like inside. Some girl I know posted a fish as her doppelgänger. Does she secretly have gills? Obviously. There’s no other explanation.

What’s equally fascinating is the number of hits that Google has been getting for the phrase, “What celebrity do I look like?” It’s astounding. And there are tools and apps on the Internet that analyze your face and tell you who you look like. One such tool is the face recognition app on myheritage.com. And it’s completely accurate. I scanned in my 21-year-old little brother’s face, and the app said he looked 67 percent like Saddam Hussein. So what does that tell me? It tells me that he has a stockpile of chemical weapons in his apartment. But not really, as it turns out. But we’re going to destroy his apartment anyways and “take care” of him, too. Then, his roommates will get really pissed off and endeavor with all their might to hinder the effort of rebuilding the apartment and replacing their landlord. That’s just how it’s going to go down.

So if you’ve already put your doppelgänger on Facebook, or if you’re still thinking who you look like, remember this: whoever you put up there will be a window into your very soul. People will know everything about your deepest, darkest, most penetrating and revealing secrets. Like the time you crapped your pants while riding the Heber Creeper Railroad and tried to cover it up by rolling down all the windows in your car on the ride home, telling everyone inside, “It’s my favorite game. I love rolling down the windows in Winter.” Yeah right. You just set up shop in your pants and are trying to cover that up. Caught ya.

Questions or comments can be sent to James Rasmussen at

jamesrasmus@googlemail.com.