Sticky Ideas: Progression via Selection

Spring Progression: Snowdrops followed by Daffodils followed by Bluebells

I recently spotted some of the first Snowdrops of Spring; which is always a welcome sight, not only as they are beautiful flowers but also they remind me of the good things to come, to anticipate positively the future progression through mid-Spring with Daffodils and then into late Spring with Bluebells.

"It is estimated that 25%–50% of all common bluebells may be found in the British Isles."

 In the previous blog it seems like we're trapped in "Winter freeze" in the progression of our Referendum debate and discussion, EU Politics: Groundhog Day (2nd February), and so the question is: Why is this? We already noted that some very Sticky Ideas dominate the discussion as per Arguments: In The Deadly Grip of Confabulation, with David Davies talking about "German Cars!" on the Daily Politics today perpetuating these empty ideas ie "political sloganeering memes". We've looked at Richard Reed of Innocent Smoothies banking on these empty memes to propound his own ignorance and dam up progress.

Simple … Unexpected … Concrete … Credentialed … Emotional … Story

• Be a master of exclusion.   Less is more.  Ruthlessly prioritize and focus on the vital few.
• Boil it down to simple + profound. Create messages that are both simple and profound.
• Create engagement.  Use surprise, emotions, concrete images, and curiosity.
• Surprise people.  Surprise people’s expectations.
• Have testable ideas.  Have a ‘”try it yourself” approach and help people test out your ideas for themselves

I think one of the challenges has been to provide a counter vision that can become a "Sticky Idea" more powerful than the above Confabulations. One sticky idea that "Brexiteers" need to get their head around is Selection ie the point 1 above: Exclusion:-

Progression: High Diversity of Ideas (LHS - BEFORE) ====>>>> Low Diversity of Ideas (RHS - AFTER)

In the above Referendum, if it is a well-structured Campaign before the Polling Day, there will be a competitive selection by the entire electorate (huge sample size ie full population sample!). Listening to Margaret Beckett also on The Daily Politics Show coughing up the "terribly dark and dangerous vision of Brexit" suggests to me a paucity of strong ideas on the Pro-EU side of the argument. But it's very easy for people like her to attack the Pro-Brexit (Leave) side of the argument due to the sheer diversity of ideas, many of them weak.

Oral statement to Parliament: Prime Minister's statement on EU renegotiation - 3 February 2016

David Cameron's powerful edict: Never say never: "We Shall NEVER surrender!"

It is interesting to hear David Cameron's speech above for what he will present as his "British Model" to the British public for the Referendum. "Never" is a very powerful word to utter; a clear evocation echoing our history, patriotism and sovereignty under duress...

If he really means all these things using such powerful evocation of the nation's identity and foundations of our society and state, then surely for "NEVER" to really mean "NEVER" then:-

Achieves that unequivocally. In effect:-

What we see in the above tabulation above, is that:-

• The top-half of the table, 1-11 = Political Union. 
• The bottom-half of the table, 12-18 = Single Market (+ Global Market).

 Aka what we've already met before: The Market Solution: A Growing Solution. So what we have concluded is that The Single Market (+) as part of Withdrawal aka Brexit/Leave is a critically positive outcome + the removal of political union (-).

However for this progression to work, selection must operate. And in my opinion the biggest selective pressure on the UK is indeed our >40yrs of EU Membership! Which boils down to Article 50 Lisbon Treaty; the latest and last Treaty we were signed up to by our Prime Minister which we did not get a Referendum on - until now.

The Referendum Question depends on The Single Market which depends on the stipulated terms of our EU Political Union membership (presently) = ARTICLE 50 LISBON TREATY

Progression is via a feedback loop: The Referendum Question requires Single Market guarantee to then vote Leave to remove the Political Union. Removal of the Political Union requires: Article 50! The Selection Bottleneck = Article 50 to withdraw/exit from Political Union.

So, how to make this idea Sticky? Using the advise we must refine our message and Exclude, Boil It Down, Surprise People and Tell A Story:-

EXCLUDE:

• This is the present state of the debate: Stuck in a cloud of confusion created as much by the "eurosceptic aristocracy" as by the Pro-EU's who profiteer from this behaviour that stops the feed-back loop above.

-

 SIMPLIFY:

• Do you trust David Cameron and our political class when they speak to you? Or do you trust a practical and working plan that matches words and actions:-

 +

=

 SURPRISE:

•  Do you know about Globalization of Regulations and Standards and the many many many Real Top Tables we could gain a place at "sans political union" in Supranational EU?

&

 TEST:

• Put your name on the future, for the first time in >40yrs...