the deeper game here is understanding that in democracies & markets alike, perception is reality for most participants. the hat doesn’t make trump more competent, but it makes his story stickier . & in a world where attention is the scarcest resource, stickiness beats subtlety every time.

this is why most startups fail at messaging. they optimize for logic when they should optimize for recognition . they A/B test headlines instead of understanding that brand is fundamentally about reducing cognitive load for exhausted humans scrolling through infinite options.

most founders think they’re building for rational actors who carefully weigh features & benefits. they’re not. they’re building for humans, pattern matching machines who mistake repetition for truth & consistency for competence.

brand isn’t just memory. it’s trust through repetition . it’s showing up the same way every time until your presence becomes gravity.

this is why most startups fail at messaging. they optimize for logic when they should optimize for recognition . they A/B test headlines instead of understanding that brand is fundamentally about reducing cognitive load for exhausted humans scrolling through infinite options.