"" bshawise: Gross Generalization Game

Sunday, June 22, 2008

Gross Generalization Game


A new go-to phrase for me is, "There are two kinds of people in the world...." then I share said two kinds i.e. people who wear shirts to Midas and people who don't. It's a way of using gross generalizations to spice up observations. Today, I listened/watched a musician who made me think there are...

(1) Those who view the parameters (box) they're given as the destination (2) and those who view the box as just a starting point.

(1) BOX=DESTINATION PEOPLE (BDPs) are given a set of parameters and expectations for a particular project/task and typically the first thing they'll want to know is how things were done in the past. Those factors become the box that BDPs work in. They do everything they can to fill that box with the most excellent version of the project/task they can produce.

(2) BOX=STARTING POINT PEOPLE (BSPPs) are given the parameters and expectations for a project/task and the first thing they'll typically want to know is how can they change those parameters to exceed expectations. The past serves only as a respected competitor- something to beat not match and/or mimic. All those factors become the box that BSPPs want to blow up, morph, stretch, poke holes in, change into something unexpected and better.

You need both types of people, obviously. I just happen to gravitate towards BSPPs who wear shirts to Midas. There are of course BSPPs who leave their shirts at home to go buy mufflers. Avoid them. They are a dangerous breed.

1 comment:

ylmurph said...

There are people who love blogs about box thinking
and then there are people who are stupid-heads
(I wasn't hugged much as a child)