wiki/2021-05-08-23-12-29.org

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. 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.