Some Social Change Principles

Designing new public ediucation strategies, social policies, and so forth needs to proceed based on some fundamental principles that can guide us to create things that are likely to work. I'm not sure what new or revised principles we really need in this area. I do have a few thoughts to offer. So, here are some things to keep in mind:

1. Decision making is emotional and not purely rational - If you base your idea on the assumption that people are making rational and carefully considered decisions about what to do, then your idea is likely to fail.

2. Altering perceptions of a situation is more powerful than trying to alter emotions or to present facts. Thanks to Edward DeBono who mentions this principle in Seious Creativity

3. People will often work harder to avoid a loss than to realize a gain - It might be useful to present an idea in terms of what it can help people to not lose rather than in terms of what they might or might not gain.

4. Opportunities are just as important as problems - Sure, solving social problems is important. Maybe there is more social good to be realized by trying to improve something that is already working reasonably well.

5. Use enlightened self-interest to your advantage.

6. Know that all changes in society will have unplanned consequences, some good and some bad - Try to anticipate the negative consequences and plan for them. Maybe there is a way to modify the idea. Maybe you can predict a beneficial side-effect that can be a selling point of your idea.

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