We are more associative than structured

Knowing The basics of memory, our neurons represent more like a web of thoughts. Innovation often comes from combining aspects from a network of ideas (see Creativity does not mean originality). Our brain is good at relating each topic with something else. To exemplify the point further, try to start at a single word and make a word map around it.

This is subtly present in daily life mostly filled with links from one thing to another.

• Most conversations — e.g., "X is just Y but better", "Cuphead is the Dark Souls of run-and-gun", "Markdown is simplified HTML", "Lenen is Touhou but harder".

• In marketing — e.g., "This is just Y but cheaper", use cases presented as a narrative, comparison with other products, our tendency to equate price to quality.

• In learning — e.g., "FANBOYS" to describe the English conjunction words, "Every good boy does fine" to describe the notes placed in the lines of the music sheet.

• Nostalgia — e.g., whenever we walked into an old place, we may remember the olden days.

When knowing a new topic, we strive to compare between the new and the familiar things. Understanding comes first from memory including the things we already know. We are desperate to create a hook between the new and the old as we have an inherent understanding that newer ideas are built on top of other ideas.

However, We are more structured than associative at times. We do need some order to make some sense.