The way we took pictures makes us biased at how we see photos today.
In a given professional or even a hobbyist photo session, there are thousands of photos to choose from to find the best one. But when we see social media accounts of picture-perfect photos our minds don’t usually consider this fact automatically.
I think this has to do with what a photo used to be. When photos were on film, you had 12–36 shots per roll. And until recently, photo storage on your phone kept you from being too snap happy. Technology changes faster than our brains.
If you remember a time when every shot was precious, your brain uses that remembered that and makes a link that can be really hard to break when you see perfect photo after perfect photo on a media feed. Almost every photo on Instagram is one chosen from at least several. It’s possible that every photo you take with your phone is actually 10 shots that you can choose from. The ability to capture that split second moment when a roll of film only had 24 shots was an indicator skill or incredible luck. Now it can be child’s play.
It takes time and effort to recognize this change. It takes energy to remind yourself that a feed full of perfect shots of pretty people is the result of what amounts to a photo shoot. You’re not seeing the denominator because your brain already has one — and it’s a denominator of one. You think that every photo is 1 out of 1; until you consciously remember that it’s not.
Similarly, the way we did research makes us biased when we see research today. When research had to be mailed in on paper, produced on paper, and shipped, the rate that it came out was limited by things like physical space and mail/courier times. And thus, because it was HARD to make a paper, research was seen as more precious. But now, you don’t even need paper. Research is practically a disposable thing — just one’s and zeroes. It’s EASY to make a “paper”, because you don’t even need paper. The old value of something rare, however, carries over to the newer thing that is less scarce; so you attribute more value than what it might actually be worth.
There’s nothing wrong with the way your brain associates. Predicting the future from the past is human. The problem is when you don’t even realize you’re being hijacked — to believe that something is abundant when it is scarce; to believe that the uncommon is common; and that (as Terry Prachett once wrote) one in a million chances happen 9 times out of 10.
When you think something is more rare, special or difficult, it changes how you approach it. Changing this belief is key to breaking a cycle of paralysis and moving forward.
My book Question the Start and End with the Question is now out on Amazon. It’s a mindset reset to help you change the story you believe about what you can do with research. Unparalysing your limiting beliefs is the first step forward.
Learn more at http://criticalmass.ninja
