HBS Working Knowledge Comments of the Year

Harvard Business School's Working Knowledge produced a list of their favorite comments from 2017. This one made me laugh:

People Have an Irrational Need to Complete Sets of Things
Joel comments: I like this for two reasons:
1) You can build dramatic tension by starting a list.

It reminds me of that joke about the 10 types of people in the world - those who understand binary and those who don't.

Paying for Apps

This article/cartoon pokes fun at our reluctance to pay a dollar for an app when we routinely buy $5 coffees, $200 phones, etc. It struck a cord with me as I buy very few apps - most apps that we have bought have been for our three year old. I think the reason I avoid buying apps is that I don't think I will use them over the long haul. Of course, I drink my Starbucks all in one sitting, too.

Via Slashdot.org

Buying

I like to think I am pretty smart when it comes to spending my money. I like to think that, but it probably isn't true. I'm influenced in more ways than I will ever realize.

Heck, the Harbor Freight ad in the Sunday paper always makes me "want" stuff - an $8 mover's dolly, a $3 digital multi-meter, a $2 tarp, a $260 surveillance system with four camera, etc. I didn't see it this time, but there are usually some solar panels I must have for a project.

Because that's the way it has always been?

Doc__Ad @Pogue why aren't elevators designed such that if you hit the wrong floor you can re-press the button and cancel your error?Thu, Sep 22 08:57:25 from Echofon retweeted by Pogue

Or because the people that compulsively press an already lit button would cause you to miss your floor.

I Before E Except After C = You Lie!

I'm always amazed to see how our minds work. Apparently, context impacts our ability to think logically.