Sunday Sharies 09.18.22

A QUOTE

"All wonder is the effect of novelty on ignorance."

― Samuel Johnson, English poet, playwright, and lexicographer 

 

A QUESTION

What's something that few people pay attention to that you notice?


A THOUGHT

Has this ever happened to you? You're on a Zoom call and someone shares their screen to begin a presentation. Immediately, your eyes start scanning for something you’re not meant to see. Any shopping tabs left open in their internet browser? A salacious slack message they forgot to close out?  

We're hardwired to zero in on inconsistencies.

As we go about our day, we're more likely to comment on something that's different than something that's stayed the same.

"Did you see that tree that fell on that car?!” is a better conversation starter than "Did you pass that tree and car next to each other?!”

Retailers love taking advantage of this distractibility, too. They do it to us on purpose because they know we can’t help ourselves. It's the psychology of an end cap. It's the life purpose of a wacky inflatable tube man.

If we spot novelty, the next action we take is always in response to that stimulus. We either choose to react to it or choose to ignore it. Neutrality is not an option.