Ericast 329 - Don't Use Negatives

Ericast.com Podcast - DWEEB THOUGHTS

I don't want to turn into a crotchety old man sitting on my porch yelling "Get off my lawn!" Instead, I'll be yelling "Stay on the street!" Wonder why? Here's your show.

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This was inspired by my visit to a local megachurch which sang the song "He Won't". If you're not familiar with what a church service is like in these kinds of churches, it's basically a concert in a TV studio. They've got a dolly track so they can truck a camera in front of the booth. Now they have a scissor jib. That's an environment I'm very comfortable in because I did TV production work in college, but I admit it's weird for me to pair that with a church.

These concerts are expected to be participatory - you're not there to watch the performers (though it is a performance) but to sing along. But if you don't know the song well, you're going to be singing along with the second part of each line as they put it up on the screen and your eyes catch up and you know where they're at.

Let's pair that with the understanding that "the brain doesn't process negatives".

So, let's look at the lyrics of "Firm Foundation (He Won't)". It's a very pretty song. But what is it doing to our brains?

(Here's an example of how this is sung in a congregational context - not the church I went to, but the same kind of performance)

Thoughts on someone overthinking the psychology of straightforward statements? Share them! Call, text, email, whatever you're comfortable with!