Sticky ideas
Some years ago I read Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die by Chip and Dan Heath. Given today's prevalence of "alternative facts" and fake news, I thought it was worth revisiting some of their ideas to see if they could provide some rationale for the state of the current news cycle. As the book title suggests, the brothers explain why some ideas live and others flounder and how we can improve our chances of creating and communicating an idea that “sticks.” They use plenty of great examples. Some of my favourites are the completely untrue urban myths that circulate and are believed widely. Did you know that there is no evidence of anyone ever sticking razorblades in Halloween candy? That there is no kidney-theft ring? That the Great Wall of China is not visible from space? Yet many of us believe these stories. Why? The Brothers Heath identify six principals that contribute to our belief. These are: Simplicity: the core of an idea is ...