List Mania
There is something that draws us to lists. Perhaps it's the organization or the establishment of an expectation but lists have become a pervasive part of our lives. Whether it's the 7 steps to a new body, the 11 foods you must eat, or the Fortune 500, we see lists everywhere.
Lists are like books - ubiquitous and impossible to consume all of them. In the same way that authors influence which books we choose to read, the creators of lists should also drive the time and importance we attribute to them.
Credentials: Does the creator of a list have the knowledge or background to derive a list of value? Take the lists of top schools or cities, for example. There is no way that one person could have experienced living in all cities or attended all schools so any relevant list would have to be judged and viewed through some set of standard but questionably applicable criteria.
Affiliation: Is there some relationship that we have to the person who wrote the list? This fact alone can conjure sufficient interest in the opinions expressed in a list.
Keeping these elements in mind, we can more effectively concentrate our time when it comes to lists. As attractive as lists can be, it is worthwhile to take a second to evaluate who made them before making it 10 points down a 25 point list and deciding it's no longer worth reading.
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Lists are like books - ubiquitous and impossible to consume all of them. In the same way that authors influence which books we choose to read, the creators of lists should also drive the time and importance we attribute to them.
Credentials: Does the creator of a list have the knowledge or background to derive a list of value? Take the lists of top schools or cities, for example. There is no way that one person could have experienced living in all cities or attended all schools so any relevant list would have to be judged and viewed through some set of standard but questionably applicable criteria.
Affiliation: Is there some relationship that we have to the person who wrote the list? This fact alone can conjure sufficient interest in the opinions expressed in a list.
Keeping these elements in mind, we can more effectively concentrate our time when it comes to lists. As attractive as lists can be, it is worthwhile to take a second to evaluate who made them before making it 10 points down a 25 point list and deciding it's no longer worth reading.
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Posted by coolguyphil at 10/27/2011 10:34 AM 
Categories: commentary
Tags: list mania lists books credentials affiliation
Categories: commentary
Tags: list mania lists books credentials affiliation
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