The World According to Star Wars

by Cass R. Sunstein

Published date: 2016

Category: Other

Insight: People assess probability by asking whether a relevant event comes to mind.

Definition: When people like things because they think other people like them.
Example: The success of the later Star Wars movies can partly be attributed to the success of the Star Wars brand, which already has a large following.

Insight: Environment matters.
Insight: An environment can have a great influence on things such as spending habits, exercise, happiness, work life balance, success.

Insight: Some things can be enjoyed alone, but other times the value of something depends on how many other people are using it.
Insight: Network effects can play a big role in rebellions of all kinds - once the number of rebels increases it can be more energising, and the risks to the individual decline as more people join.

Insight: If individuals preferences and beliefs are hidden or falsified, change (or rebellions), is difficult to predict.
Insight: In nations or societies where what people say and what people think are misaligned (perhaps because of dictatorship), there is a situation of pluralistic ignorance: individuals have little knowledge about what other citizens believe.
Insight: Change can occur if some individuals publicly express dissatisfaction and the desire for change, and a lot of people are willing to join in that journey.

Definition: People's tendency to prefer things to stay the way they are.
Example: Luke Skywalker not initially wanting to go with Obi Wan to Alderaan.
Insight: People tend to change only when a certain threshold of pain is reached.