Ideas that Stick

I'm reading a book right now called Made to Stick. It's all about why some ideas survive and others die. I'm only in the first chaper, but it's already grabbed me (stuck to me!). Why do we remember some things better than others? What is it that makes an idea stick with us... and not others...

They're suggesting that there are six principles that contribute to sticky ideas... ideas that stick with us... that we remember over time:

1. Simplicity - make it simple and profound
2. Unexpectedness - violate people's expectations... surprise them, appeal to their interest & curiosity - open gaps in their knowledge and then fill those gaps
3. Concreteness - use concrete, sensory images, not the abstract
4. Credibility - don't give them stats... give them something they can test themselves
5. Emotions - connect to their emotions
6. Stories - tell it as a story

Or... A Simple Unexpected Concrete Credentialed Emotional Story... But if it's so simple, why aren't there more sticky ideas out there? Because there's something called the Curse of Knowledge... when we know something, we find it hard to imagine not knowing it... and so it becomes harder for us to share that knowledge with others. We know "it"... but we know "it" so well, that we have trouble sharing "it" with those who don't know "it"... It is so obvious to us, that we can't imagine it being not obvious, ergo we find it hard to put ourselves in the shoes of those for whom it's not obvious.

More later!