Kyle Steinike

First identified by Randy Steve Waldman [Wal12], the term refers to something people treat as though it works, generally for social or institutional reasons, even when there’s little evidence that it works—­and sometimes despite substantial evidence that it does not.

“One easy way to show you care about others is to ask them questions about their life.

• What are they excited about?


• What are they working on?


• What are they hoping for?

Simply asking the question and listening thoughtfully is an act of generosity. You're giving them the gift of attention.”

It almost always seems expensive to act with the long term in mind, which is why so few people do it.

The weakest links are at the lowest end of movie budgets. In one case (low-budget horror), there is even a slight negative correlation. This includes movies such as Paranormal Activity and Terrifier, where atmosphere, novelty, or shock value mattered more than tidy story logic. (The connection here is weak, so we shouldn’t over-read this result).