I’ve always felt that the best comedians are the ones who put into words things that you’ve already observed about the world, but that - to that point - you’ve never actually put into words yourself.
They’re funny simply because they make you realize “that is so incredibly true.”
Chris Rock. Sinbad. Jerry Seinfeld.
I think this particular appreciation for one’s ability to “label reality” carries over into the authors I end up recommending as well. I just finished Malcolm Gladwell’s “The Tipping Point” and it certainly appeals to a similar part of me.
It’s the type of book that makes you think “Wow, if this guy hadn’t had the unique insight & passion to write this, I don’t know who else ever would have. And the world is a better place because he did it.”
It talks about the commonalities between the epidemics of this world; an epidemic being any sudden & rapid movement, upward or downward, of a trend.
This can be a disease outbreak, a clothing fad, the sudden change in a city’s crime rate, or a movie everyone is talking about.
Essentially, what are the common traits between these things that cause them to suddenly & drastically tip and become epidemics?
Because the fact is that all epidemics have tipping points.. these “moments of critical mass, thresholds, or boiling points.” These factors that, when triggered, transform something like “The Blair Witch Project” from a B-movie that no one’s heard of into a multi-million dollar phenomenon.
And I learned that often it’s the smallest thing that sets it off. You’d be shocked.
I think this new understanding can be applied to each component of my identity. As an entrepreneur. As a real estate investor. As a Christian. As a father-to-be (at some point). And as someone who just wants to add to the good & remove from the evil in the world.
Over the coming days, I want to flesh out some answers to the questions…
Why is it that some ideas or behaviors or products start epidemics and others don’t? And what can we do to deliberately start and control POSITIVE epidemics of our own?
Whether you’re trying to market a new product, raise cancer awareness, or spread the gospel of Jesus Christ, being able to answer these questions can have enormous implications.
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Posted on Tuesday, 10th June 2008 in Books, Faith, Life, Marketing | Comments (1)
June 10th, 2008 at 8:29 pm
Excellent post, brother. I couldn’t agree more. I’ve been wanting to read “The Tipping Point” for a while now. Need to get to that. But first I have a VERY IMPORTANT e-book to devour!
…jp