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Hi,
This week we're talking about the impression we make with our language and the challenge of naming a company and brand ― the #value is in how your language translates into a story for others, which is why branding is often more art than science.
Readings to inspire you to take action.
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— You say Tomato, I say Tomato... When Language is the Enemy. It's unfortunate that strategy conversations continue to be full of the language of war. Because the focus on killing, winning, and competition is permeating our language throughout organizations. The war metaphor creates the wrong incentives. Read more.
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— Two Examples of Rebranding. One turned out fine in the end, despite the media frenzy. Whenever we choose a name for a company or a product, we send a message. Before we write that message, it's worth doing a deeper study of its meaning and the impact it will create, beyond what we intend. Read more.
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Read More, Think Better
I've been reading more fiction lately and I feel more creative. One recent discovery is that women write far more interesting and devious mystery books. My love of all things European led me to the discovery of quite a few talented British, Irish, and Continental Europe women writers.
Ann Cleeves is a good example for clear prose that won't lose you in the details and very engaging plots. Her Vera Stanhope detective was turned into a TV series. I read them in reserve, starting with The Seagull, then backtracked to The Moth Catcher, then Harbour Street, then The Glass Room, and I'm now reading The Crow Trap.
I can see how the characters developed over time. Which is great training for a writer. She also started inserting more humor and personal stories in the more recent books. Each story is independent, so there's no spoiling the plot.
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01.
The Seven Sins of Memory. Forgot where you put your keys? Did you misremember something? Memory's errors can be divided into seven fundamental transgressions or "sins":
- transience or forgetting that occurs with the passage of time,
- absentmindedness or lapses of attention that result in failing to remember information
- blocking,
- misattribution,
- suggestibility,
- bias and
- persistence.
Just like the ancient seven deadly sins — pride, anger, envy, greed, gluttony, lust and sloth — the memory sins occur frequently in everyday life and can have serious consequences for all of us.
But it's not all bad news. Memory's vices are also its virtues, elements of a bridge across time that allows us to link the mind with the world.
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02.
There Is More to Behavioral Economics Than Biases and Fallacies. Contrary to popular belief, biases describe behavior, they don't explain it. The use of discrete, distinct labels implies a rigor that is simply not there when it comes to behaviors. There is no common guidance on how wide or narrow a bias can or should be defined.
For example, it’s risky to assume tendencies (like the overweighing of small probabilities) apply unconditionally, or to overgeneralize findings from one context to another one.
A little knowledge is a dangerous thing, and much of the popular treatment of behavioral economics is, really, barely more than a little knowledge.
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03.
We Are All Public Figures Now. Yep, you read that right. But what are your rights? Do you have a say in the matter? This is a deep cultural question, not just a legal one.
"A public figure is traditionally considered to be someone involved in public affairs, with a not inconsiderable level of influence over society. They’re officials, politicians, entertainers, household names. They’re famous. Their status as public figures also means that they’re fair game for a certain level of intrusion."
But what about you taking a flight and chatting up with your seat companion. Or recorded doing something anywhere. How are you supposed to deal with a viral video and the potential harassment it brings with it?
Controversial content gets views and clicks — it sells ads. How do you feel about the commercialization of your life without your consent? This article raises excellent questions.
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04.
The conventional wisdom about not feeding trolls makes online abuse worse. It's not a play on words, it's a play on behaviors and those are often unpredictable.
"What the troll, the stalker, and the abuser really want out of the situation is to feel powerful and in control. And they will not stop until they feel it. Therein lies the most horrible aspect of the “don’t feed” mantra: rather than doing anything to address the trolls, the more tangible effect is to silence the victim and the reality of their abuse, or worse, to blame them for it. For far too many who promoted this idea, the true goal was silence, to avoid facing what is happening and the impossible responsibility of it."
In addition to ignoring the people who get hurt, “don’t feed the trolls” also ignores an obvious method for addressing online abuse: skilled moderation and the willingness to kick people off platforms for violating rules about abuse.
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