associative thinking
apophenia, lateral thinking & bisociation
THE UNEXPECTED BANG
Creativity is the non-linear, unconventional exploration of concepts.
It finds unexpected connections and new ways of seeing and configuring things.
It breaks from fixed patterns of thinking. The predictable. The routine. The status quo. The same old-same old. Business as usual.
It explores the new and the novel.
It moves beyond conventional wisdom.
IT’S A FUNNY THING BECAUSE..
Our brains love patterns. But they also want surprise.
Our brains love certainty. But they also want the unknown.
Our brains love routine. But they also want variety.
APOPHENIA
Apophenia is the tendency to perceive meaningful connections between unrelated things. At its darkest, it leads to conspiracy theories, paranoia and psychiatric dysfunction.
At its best, it’s a tool for creativity. It finds the meaningful connection between unrelated things.
LATERAL THINKING
Lateral thinking is apophenia for creatives. We use lateral thinking to coax words, ideas or concepts together and insist on them making sense.
How can we do this?
Take two established ideas and combine them in a new way.
The Broadway hit Hamilton combined the format of a musical with the Revolutionary War and hip hop.
The Nest Thermostat took the design aesthetic and touch functionality of the iPod + IoT technology to reimagine what a thermostat could be.
Take an old idea and drop it in a new domain, setting or situation.
Practices that are routine in one industry may be revolutionary in another.
I’m reminded of a story about a London hospital that had trouble with shift changeovers, and as a result, the quality of patient care was suffering. They looked outside their industry to see who managed handoffs well. Turns out, Formula 1 Racing is pretty good at handoffs. They execute pit stops (refueling a car, changing tires, etc) under 4 seconds. The hospital found a problem that was solved in another industry and took tips and best practices from F1 to implement in their domain.
BISOCIATION
Arthur Koestler said, "Creativity is the collision of two apparently unrelated frames of reference."1 Only, he didn’t called it lateral thinking or apophenia. He called it bisociation.
I think he’s right.
The Act of Creation, 1964
My favorite part is:
Our brains love patterns. But they also want surprise.
Our brains love certainty. But they also want the unknown.
Our brains love routine. But they also want variety.
This duality captures the essence of what makes us human. We are wired to find comfort in the familiar, yet we’re equally driven to explore and grow through the unfamiliar. It’s a delicate balance—a dance between stability and adventure, safety and risk. This tension is what fuels creativity, innovation, and even the joy of living. Finding harmony between these opposing desires is the art of thriving. - AI
Love it! I appreciate the idea of taking proven frameworks from other industries and applying them. Really helpful.