Shortcut
How Analogies Reveal Connections, Spark Innovation, and Sell Our Greatest Ideas
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- $6.99
Publisher Description
A presidential speechwriter for Bill Clinton explores the hidden power of analogy to fuel thought, connect ideas, spark innovation, and shape outcomes
From the meatpacking plants that inspired Henry Ford’s first moving assembly line to the "domino theory" that led America into Vietnam to the "bicycle for the mind" that Steve Jobs envisioned as the Macintosh computer, analogies have played a dynamic role in shaping the world around us—and still do today.
Analogies are far more complex than their SAT stereotype and lie at the very core of human cognition and creativity. Once we become aware of this, we start seeing them everywhere—in ads, apps, political debates, legal arguments, logos, and euphemisms, to name just a few. At their very best, analogies inspire new ways of thinking, enable invention, and motivate people to action. Unfortunately, not every analogy that rings true is true. That’s why, at their worst, analogies can deceive, manipulate, or mislead us into disaster. The challenge? Spotting the difference before it’s too late.
Rich with engaging stories, surprising examples, and a practical method to evaluate the truth or effectiveness of any analogy, Shortcut will improve critical thinking, enhance creativity, and offer readers a fresh approach to resolving some of today’s most intractable challenges.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Toward the end of his study of analogy, Pollack (The Pun Also Rises) references the 19th-century physicist James Clerk Maxwell's observation that "an analogy reveals one truth within two expressions." Taking this idea even further, Pollack suggests that the analogy is the cornerstone of communication. Employing a diverse set of anecdotes that feature everything from sixth-century Irish monks to Reagan's political ads to the Wright Brothers, the author outlines the analogy's power to innovate, persuade, and even alter the course of human history. Pollack defines five criteria for a successful analogy; by applying these standards, one can determine its effectiveness and even separate those based in truth from those that are merely manipulative. Though sensible and straightforward, Pollack's thesis, like most attempts to impose a rigid system onto a vast semiotic concept, occasionally feels forced. Perhaps the comparison drawn between a computer screen and a physical desktop democratized the computer, but such analysis downplays the inexplicable genius and vision of individuals in favor of a formulaic sense of analogy.
