We Are All Cognitive Misers
We don’t understand each other, let alone customers
A good old funny story says:
A person found an old lamp, rubbed it, and a genie popped out.
And the genie said:
– Listen, I am an ancient genie, I am four thousand years old. I know I must fulfill three of your wishes, but I am so decrepit and weak that I can only fulfill one.
The person thought for some time and said:
– I have a house in Europe and another one in the USA. I am afraid of flying, so please, build a bridge between my houses so I could travel by car.
– Are you out of your mind? – exclaimed the genie – Can you imagine how much concrete I need? You’re asking for a bridge over the ocean! But it is deep! There are waves and winds and all that… Please, please, ask for something else!
The person thought some more and said:
– Make it so that I always understand my spouse.
The genie kept silent for a while and quietly asked:
– What were you saying about that bridge again?
Though humans are social creatures and spend their lives communicating with eac…