the attention span of human beings has dramatically dropped over the years . For you to understand how bad it is , consider the fact that according to a study by Microsoft Corporation , Human attention span has supposedly dropped from 12 seconds in 2002 to only eight seconds in 2013 , which is a second shorter than a goldfish .
This is the effect of our digital lifestyle on the brain . We send short messages with our phones and even abbreviate the short messages to make them even shorter . Platforms like twitter force us to say everything we want to say in 140 characters . We have so many things to attend to – Snapchat , Twitter , Instagram , Facebook , Whatsap … This list goes on – and we have such little time to say them .
The very society is such that we want everything now – in the moment . We would rather miss out on all the episodes of our favourite series and instead record everything so that we can dedicate a day to watching everything . We don ’ t want to have to wait for anything anymore .
With this background of intolerance , you can now understand how Donald Trump won . Hillary Clinton was the quintessential ambassador of the golden era of tolerance . The era when people paid attention to detail . It was an era where people finished one task before moving to another . She herself typified that prompting President Obama to call her the most qualified person to ever run for the White House .
She had risen through the ranks . She had been First lady , Senator , Secretary of State and now the final stop – the First Female President of the United States . When she spoke , it was well articulated . The experience of thirty years was difficult to contend against . She articulated everything she was going to do in very intelligent speeches .
‘‘ When the majority of people have had their attention span shortened , what resonates with them more than anything is not the long detailed explanation of what you are going to do . It is the fizzy and vague to the point answer that leaves no detailed explanation . This results in a rebellion against status quo and it makes it easy for the vague to triumph over the detailed .”
Her poise was presidential and she had the right connections . There was only one problem . The season had changed . People ’ s brains were not wired for that kind of stuff anymore .
Now , let ’ s compare this with Donald Trump . For everything he was asked , he had an answer but no explanation . “ We are going to build a wall ”. How ? “ We are going to build a wall ”. No explanation . “ We are going to make America great again ”. How ? “ You watch , we are going to make America great again ”.
When the majority of people have had their attention span shortened , what resonates with them more than anything is not the long detailed explanation of what you are going to do . It is the fizzy and vague to the point answer that leaves no detailed explanation . This results in a rebellion against status quo and it makes it easy for the vague to triumph over the detailed .
This also explains why the day after the Brexit vote the most Googled word in the United Kingdom was Brexit . This means that people did not vote for what they understood . They voted for an idea they did not bother to understand because it appealed to the general spirit of rebellion hovering over the earth .
Whether you want to admit it or not , the Brexit forces are lurking at your doorsteps right now . The thought is scary especially if you have been raised in the era of tolerance .
What are you going to do to protect yourself ? That , my friend is the wrong question . The right question is , ‘ How can I become the driver of transformation in my area ? What is the next form of what I am doing going to look like ?
If you are someone who was raised and trained in tolerance , how can you develop yourself to be able to make the connection with those raised in intolerance ? A new year is only a happy new year if thinking has changed and not just because a calendar changed . Make this year a truly happy one by redefining your realities .
You may not like his style and you may not support his character but one thing is sure , anyone who is able to establish a sync with the forces of intolerance will triumph over the well-articulated forces of tolerance . The world is ready for intelligent rebellion . Are you ready ?
Dr Wale is the Chief Transformation Officer , PowerTalks Corporate and Personal Development Consultants . You can reach him via mail at : Wale @ powertalks . biz , or via his twitter handle at : twitter @ waleakinyemi .