CHAPTER 12 The Design of People
The children provide an incorrect answer because they have yet to develop
what is known as the theory of mind (ToM), a differentiating feature of
human beings when compared to most other mammals. We develop ToM
by the time we’re five years old. In fact, if you were to administer the test
to five-year-olds, you would be greeted with sheer bewilderment for having
wasted their time before they gave you the right answer.
Theory of mind bestows on us two critical pieces of knowledge that,
when wielded properly, have the ability to bring out the best in us:- Our mind’s version of reality isn’t true reality: it’s just one interpretati-
on of reality. - Everybody has their own mind and, thus, their own interpretation of
reality.
But as David Eagleman, author of Incognito: The Secret Lives of Brains
writes, “There can be a large gap between knowledge and awareness”.^11
Back on Project Redo, I was completely unaware of the vicious cycle of
irrationality I was about to enter. I called Dave.iT’S MY PaRTY anD i’ll CRY if i wanT To
I gave Dave my honest feedback. “I don’t think this is the right direction,
Dave. I don’t know what else to say other than, it’s too expected. The design
is not bold.” My Dan Ariely bobble-head was staring at me, and I admitted
to Dave that I could be under some irrational spell. It was his call on how
to proceed (but I had my fingers crossed behind my back). Seasoned as he
was dealing with clients like me, he didn’t flinch. “Let’s try a completely
new direction. It’ll be fun.” He went back to the drawing board, but his first
design had already done the necessary damage in the form of setting a
very negative anchor for me.11 David Eagleman, Incognito, 15 May 2012, p. 58.