Every day, human beings do lots of things that make no sense at all.
These are things that annoy us media types, because a big part of our job is understanding or trying to understand. But how do you understand purely individual and irrational things? Well, you try and find out how many other people share the same ideals or do the same things. But I've got a bit of an issue with this.
By doing this with many people we end up with a picture of a person that is very well rounded. They will share a lot of common things, but we'll soften off the edges of anything they do that isn't in common with a lot of the others.
Let me try and explain. Here we see three human beings and their actions and ideals mapped out:
The black pen, pencil and blue pen are three individuals. In their daily life they do a lot of things that overlap, and their ideals and morals are very similar too. But there are also lots of things they do that the others don't - they're the spiky bits on the edges. Now, dependent on how you look at it, those spiky bits are the bits that (if you're a safe person, with a safe client) you are not interested in, or (if you're looking for a real unique insight that won't have mass appeal but'll turn on the people you want) then they're the bits that'll interest you.
So when it's all evened out and weighted and any anomalies are left out, you end up with the black pen on the sketch above - a rounded, bland, average human being that has a lot of things in common, but nothing rea.... zzzzzzz...
That's right, you end up with something that's boring. It's everyone, but no-one.
And that's because it's all about those blue bits above. They're the bits that are individual to us, that only a few of us do, that lots of people don't understand why we do it. They're the really interesting bits that I want to pick out, give to a creative so he/ she can come back with some fucking amazing work based on a True InsightTM. (TM: Every creative agency everywhere, ever.)
So, what are these little blue bits? What are these little things that are unique to small amounts of people? Well, I have no idea. Of course I have no idea - I haven't spoken to everyone on earth.
What I can do though, is let you know some of the small blue things I do that I've noticed about myself. I haven't asked anyone else if they do the same, but I 'm sure someone does...
Irrational thing: I feel safer in the toilet on an airplane.
Possible rational explanation: I'm scared of flying. It doesn't stop me traveling lots, but I simply don't like it. So, one way I deal with it is by visiting the toilet a lot on the plane. Not to do anything other than sit and read. You see, I've never seen a clip in a film where a plane crashes when the main character is in the toilet, so it's obviously not likely to happen. (This is a similar strategy to the 'take a bomb' on the plane strategy - there's little chance of there being one bomb but literally microscopic chance of there being two.)
Irrational thing: When I buy a pint I won't move the glass until I've handed the money over.
Possible rational explanation: I've noticed I always do the same. Fold the banknote length ways (Liz's face always up) and hand it over. As soon as the bar person has the note, I move all the drinks slightly closer to me. I think this is a mental thing about signifying that these pints now belong to me. There's no reason to move them at all, but I always bring them an inch or two closer.
Irrational thing: When asked a question I'll verbally re-ask myself in a way I understand it.
Possible rational explanation: So if someone asks me a question, say, "Where do you fancy going later?" I'll nearly always reply with something like: "Hmmm. Which pubs would I like to visit tonight?" I think this is because I think in creative briefs. I frame the question, take out the non-important bits and make a decision to go straight to the important bits. In the case above "where" is obviously going to be a pub, so let's just say that.
So - what are your little blue bits? What things make you you? Do you know if anyone else does it?
