Why is it that some ideas or behaviors or products start epidemics and others don't? And what can we do to deliberately start and control positive epidemics of our own?” – The Tipping Point
In 1936, little-known author, Dale Carnegie, burst onto the scene with his mega-book, “How to Win Friends and Influence People”, selling more than 30 million copies. A compelling read, Carnegie set forth the formula for gaining influence and affecting change in every aspect of life. In particular, he observed that 85 percent of achievement, in any field of endeavor, comes not from technical skills or intelligence, but from human relatability. Our capacity to understand and motivate others is consequential to our very success.
Yet, in these politically divisive times, we seem to be moving in the opposite direction, with partisanship leading to a collapse in civility. And with the ballot box becoming more uncertain and less desirable, the lessons first learned in Carnegie’s classic book can help us to refocus our efforts on changing hearts and minds beyond the Beltway.
In Malcolm Gladwell’s 2000 book, “The Tipping Point”, Gladwell goes a step further than Carnegie by showing through case studies and antidotes how an idea or product catches fire and becomes widespread. Using the concept of epidemics, Gladwell demonstrates how social change is driven. An outbreak begins when a single person engages their vast network to sell a particular message or invention that is compelling enough to shift major opinion. If successful, a small idea or product can become a social sensation.
Trends are like epidemics that follow the same basic pattern. For a trend, the tipping point is that moment when an idea goes viral. Understanding why and how some ideas explode and others die out can help to sell products, advance a movement, or simply influence and persuade. An epidemic starts with patient zero becoming infected. Then small clusters form before the virus breaks out and person-to-person transmission begins. What started as small and contained, becomes a universal contagion.
While the ballot box relies on a majority to win, new data shows how a dedicated minority can tip a belief in favor of the masses. In 2011, scientists at a New York research institute, RPI, discovered by using computer and analytical methods, that the true tipping point for shifting opinion is 10 percent. Once that threshold is reached, any deeply held belief is likely to spread to the majority of society. Sometimes referred to as the tyranny of the minority, this small group of highly motivated individuals yields immense influence. Starting with their committed group of like-minded friends and acquaintances, their message can blossom and multiply as it begins to influence the multitudes. Since most people don’t have strongly held positions on many topics, once they are adequately convinced, they will likely yield.
No longer needing to spin our wheels trying to steer half the population to vote the way we want; new possibilities can be considered. In New Hampshire, a migration of liberty-loving people has been moving east to affect change in that small state. Called the “Free State Project”, this group recently met its goal of 20,000 people committed to the grassroots movement. Now by electing libertarian-minded representatives locally, they are beginning to live their lives with increased freedom. If the trend continues, liberty on a large scale will become inevitable.
Many of us in the liberty movement can look back to the moment when we first felt that initial spark for freedom. For some, that flash came from the campaigns of Harry Brown, Ron Paul, and in some perverted ways, even Donald Trump. For others, it came from a book, from Ayn Rand to Ludwig von Mises to George Orwell. Today, patriots are being influenced daily by podcasters and bloggers.
It is easy to be distracted by the loud voices on social media and the droning deceptive narrative promoted by the corporate press. Yet, we must never forget the words of American anthropologist Margaret Mead, “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”
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