TIPPING
POINT
THE BIOGRAPHY OF AN IDEA
The moment of critical mass, the threshold, the boiling point.
CASE STUDY: THE MIDNIGHT RIDE
Why did Paul Revere succeed where William Dawes failed?
Both men rode at midnight to warn of the British. Only one sparked a revolution. The difference wasn't the message—it was the messenger.
TOWNS ALERTED
VIRALITY SCORE
"Why did Paul Revere succeed where William Dawes failed?"
The difference wasn't the message. It was the messenger.
MODULE 1: NETWORK SCIENCE
THE ARCHITECTURE OF TRANSMISSION
Social epidemics don't spread randomly. They follow the invisible architecture of human networks, where certain individuals act as critical nodes.
THE THREE AGENTS
They know everyone. With vast, diverse networks spanning multiple social worlds, Connectors are the bridges between communities. They have a special gift for bringing people together.
They know everything. Mavens are information specialists who accumulate knowledge and, crucially, want to share it. They're not persuaders—they're educators who solve other people's problems.
They can convince anyone. Salesmen have the charisma and persuasive skills to convert skeptics. They possess an energy and enthusiasm that is contagious.
CASE STUDY: SESAME STREET
THE STICKINESS FACTOR
In the 1960s, television was a wasteland. Then came a show that hacked the attention economy by understanding one simple rule: Content is king, but structure is the crown.
Stickiness isn't about being loud. It's about being right.
"How do you make a message impossible to ignore?"
It wasn't magic. It was engineering.
MODULE 2: COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY
THE MECHANICS OF RETENTION
A message doesn't spread just because it's true or important. It spreads because it's structured to stick in memory. Stickiness is an engineering problem.
THE ANATOMY OF STICKINESS
TRIGGER
A clear, irresistible hook that captures attention instantly. The first 3 seconds determine everything.
PARTICIPATION
The audience must DO something, not just watch. Active engagement creates memory. Passive consumption creates nothing.
REWARD
Immediate feedback or value. The brain needs to know: 'Was that worth my attention?' Answer: Yes.
CASE STUDY: NYC SUBWAY 1984
THE POWER OF CONTEXT
In the 1980s, New York City was dangerous. The solution wasn't more police—it was less graffiti. Fix the windows, and you fix the people.
"Did the criminals change, or did the world around them change?"
Character isn't destiny. Context is.
MODULE 3: SOCIAL PHYSICS
THE DYNAMICS OF BEHAVIOR
We like to believe character is destiny. But the science shows otherwise: context is king. Small changes in environment can produce massive changes in behavior.
THE RULE OF 150
Cognitive limit of stable social relationships (Dunbar's Number).
Anthropologist Robin Dunbar discovered that humans can only maintain about 150 stable relationships. Below this number, groups are cohesive and self-regulating. Above it, they fragment and require bureaucracy. This isn't a suggestion—it's a biological limit.
EXAMPLES
Hutterite communities split at 150. Gore-Tex limits factory size to 150. The Roman army organized legions around 150.