Comments on: 4 reasons why we like lists http://www.moritherapy.org/article/4-reasons-why-we-like-lists/ making lives better, making better lives Fri, 19 Mar 2010 23:45:30 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: isabella mori http://www.moritherapy.org/article/4-reasons-why-we-like-lists/comment-page-1/#comment-340131 isabella mori Tue, 04 Dec 2007 19:42:02 +0000 http://www.moritherapy.org/article/4-reasons-why-we-like-lists/#comment-340131 thank you all very much for your comments. i'm waiting for some more input from the people i've tagged in the post and then i'll summarize all the things you've said. i really love having all these different opinions. one of the reasons why i can't stop playing around in the blogosphere! thank you all very much for your comments. i’m waiting for some more input from the people i’ve tagged in the post and then i’ll summarize all the things you’ve said.

i really love having all these different opinions. one of the reasons why i can’t stop playing around in the blogosphere!

]]> By: Albert | UrbanMonk.Net http://www.moritherapy.org/article/4-reasons-why-we-like-lists/comment-page-1/#comment-336062 Albert | UrbanMonk.Net Fri, 30 Nov 2007 11:25:03 +0000 http://www.moritherapy.org/article/4-reasons-why-we-like-lists/#comment-336062 Hey Isabella, good stuff on spreading the link love. You should vote for mine! hahaha...nah just joking. You can see my picks on my own entry, some of the entries are freaking hilarious, especially the domtan one. It's one of my favourites! Cheers, Albert Hey Isabella, good stuff on spreading the link love. You should vote for mine! hahaha…nah just joking. You can see my picks on my own entry, some of the entries are freaking hilarious, especially the domtan one. It’s one of my favourites!

Cheers, Albert

]]> By: Jobs In Israel http://www.moritherapy.org/article/4-reasons-why-we-like-lists/comment-page-1/#comment-335424 Jobs In Israel Thu, 29 Nov 2007 21:41:58 +0000 http://www.moritherapy.org/article/4-reasons-why-we-like-lists/#comment-335424 Thanks for putting up the entire list, Isabella. I'll be doing the same soon. Jacob Thanks for putting up the entire list, Isabella. I’ll be doing the same soon.

Jacob

]]> By: Jess http://www.moritherapy.org/article/4-reasons-why-we-like-lists/comment-page-1/#comment-335017 Jess Thu, 29 Nov 2007 12:37:19 +0000 http://www.moritherapy.org/article/4-reasons-why-we-like-lists/#comment-335017 I am a fan of lists. I am used to them. I always make different lists: lists of purchases, lists of the things I must do, lists desired Christmas gifts... I am a fan of lists. I am used to them. I always make different lists: lists of purchases, lists of the things I must do, lists desired Christmas gifts…

]]> By: Maritim http://www.moritherapy.org/article/4-reasons-why-we-like-lists/comment-page-1/#comment-334795 Maritim Thu, 29 Nov 2007 06:45:09 +0000 http://www.moritherapy.org/article/4-reasons-why-we-like-lists/#comment-334795 I am not all that enthusiastic about list, I think we risk entering some monotonous regime where everything we do is by list imagine setting out a list of what you'll do during the day: wake up shower take breakfast.............. it is not normal to me. I am not all that enthusiastic about list, I think we risk entering some monotonous regime where everything we do is by list imagine setting out a list of what you’ll do during the day:
wake up
shower
take breakfast………….. it is not normal to me.

]]> By: tess http://www.moritherapy.org/article/4-reasons-why-we-like-lists/comment-page-1/#comment-334776 tess Thu, 29 Nov 2007 06:18:27 +0000 http://www.moritherapy.org/article/4-reasons-why-we-like-lists/#comment-334776 Isabella, Just wanted to quick answer your question about which lists are my personal favorite from the ones you mentioned. Honestly, I sure didn't read all of them but I did check out the first 12 or so, plus a few that caught my eye after that. Here are my faves so far, in no particular order. I really love lists, always have. Used to make lists of my fave friends, fave colors, etc. :-) Still make lots of lists! Here's the one pertinent to your question: 1. running list: I don't run, but i felt motivated to do so after this well designed, eye-catching list 2. 10things i didn't know about until last week: What a fun thing to write about! 3. to do to make tomorrow better: cute/clever 4. top 10 personal development blogs- fun/helpful! 5. 7steps to fight procrastination: this was a very helpful article. I like the way the author broke down this subject, rather unique! 6. Encouraging questions: great-I'm a coach/social-worker and love to use these kinds of questions. Isabella,
Just wanted to quick answer your question about which lists are my personal favorite from the ones you mentioned. Honestly, I sure didn’t read all of them but I did check out the first 12 or so, plus a few that caught my eye after that. Here are my faves so far, in no particular order.
I really love lists, always have. Used to make lists of my fave friends, fave colors, etc. :-) Still make lots of lists!
Here’s the one pertinent to your question:

1. running list: I don’t run, but i felt motivated to do so after this well designed, eye-catching list

2. 10things i didn’t know about until last week: What a fun thing to write about!

3. to do to make tomorrow better: cute/clever

4. top 10 personal development blogs- fun/helpful!

5. 7steps to fight procrastination: this was a very helpful article. I like the way the author broke down this subject, rather unique!

6. Encouraging questions: great-I’m a coach/social-worker and love to use these kinds of questions.

]]> By: Nancy http://www.moritherapy.org/article/4-reasons-why-we-like-lists/comment-page-1/#comment-334772 Nancy Thu, 29 Nov 2007 06:15:40 +0000 http://www.moritherapy.org/article/4-reasons-why-we-like-lists/#comment-334772 If you haven't yet, I entirely recommend Merlin Mann's site www.5ives.com It sets the standard for list making! I browsed several of the sites - great link love, and fun for your readers to poke around! It was interesting - some were written about topics the person clearly had a passion for, others felt a bit detached, and some of the site look and feels didn't make the lists easy to read. But in all cases, it felt fun to check out! If you haven’t yet, I entirely recommend Merlin Mann’s site http://www.5ives.com It sets the standard for list making!

I browsed several of the sites – great link love, and fun for your readers to poke around! It was interesting – some were written about topics the person clearly had a passion for, others felt a bit detached, and some of the site look and feels didn’t make the lists easy to read. But in all cases, it felt fun to check out!

]]> By: Jan Karlsbjerg http://www.moritherapy.org/article/4-reasons-why-we-like-lists/comment-page-1/#comment-334661 Jan Karlsbjerg Thu, 29 Nov 2007 04:00:03 +0000 http://www.moritherapy.org/article/4-reasons-why-we-like-lists/#comment-334661 I love lists. They fit with how I think. But I don't agree with Matt above. He does mention that "we love <strong>ordered</strong> lists" and his examples are of that type, actually they are all a set of instructions: First do this, then do that. On the contrary, I think it's part of the appeal of lists (for blog posts) that they aren't ordered. Regular text is ordered -- you can't make full sense of a paragraph before you've read the ones preceding it. Bulleted lists, on the other hand are perfect for scanning (as you mention, Isabella), and they're <em>forgiving</em>: You can scan and skip and jump, read them in any order, read every third if you so prefer, etc. What I really love about lists, though, is the ability to break them down into multi-level hierarchical lists/structures. Outlines rule! They add detail while preserving most of the desirable properties of lists (you can still scan, skip/jump, etc.). I love lists. They fit with how I think.

But I don’t agree with Matt above. He does mention that “we love ordered lists” and his examples are of that type, actually they are all a set of instructions: First do this, then do that.

On the contrary, I think it’s part of the appeal of lists (for blog posts) that they aren’t ordered. Regular text is ordered — you can’t make full sense of a paragraph before you’ve read the ones preceding it. Bulleted lists, on the other hand are perfect for scanning (as you mention, Isabella), and they’re forgiving: You can scan and skip and jump, read them in any order, read every third if you so prefer, etc.

What I really love about lists, though, is the ability to break them down into multi-level hierarchical lists/structures. Outlines rule! They add detail while preserving most of the desirable properties of lists (you can still scan, skip/jump, etc.).

]]> By: Neena (NeenMachine) http://www.moritherapy.org/article/4-reasons-why-we-like-lists/comment-page-1/#comment-334629 Neena (NeenMachine) Thu, 29 Nov 2007 03:10:51 +0000 http://www.moritherapy.org/article/4-reasons-why-we-like-lists/#comment-334629 Isabella, I like lists because they are usually a quick read of useful information - just enough to jog the memory. I, too, took part in this group writing project. Good luck to you, and thanks for the link! Isabella,
I like lists because they are usually a quick read of useful information – just enough to jog the memory. I, too, took part in this group writing project. Good luck to you, and thanks for the link!

]]> By: Matt http://www.moritherapy.org/article/4-reasons-why-we-like-lists/comment-page-1/#comment-334584 Matt Thu, 29 Nov 2007 01:59:04 +0000 http://www.moritherapy.org/article/4-reasons-why-we-like-lists/#comment-334584 We are surrounded by lists from an early age onward until we die, so we tend to find them a comfortable ambient presence in our lives. Some lists appear quite explicitly (much like your list of lists above). Other lists, much less explicitly visible, often influence heavily without us even realizing it. For example, telephone numbers, simple lists of digits which on their own hold no importance, but listed together can form the most important list in our lives. I believe we love ordered lists because they lead us to a "promised land" of good things gotten or bad things avoided, and have been programmed this way since we were children. Our parents started us early with simple lists, 'Behave your self, sit up straight, pay attention, be quiet and we'll get ice cream." All through our lives lists have guided us to keep us out of jail (basic laws), start up our gizmos (first push primer bulb then pull chord). List follow the natural progression of time , priority and importance. One could say our entire lives consist of a high-level list leading from Step 1 to death, with key milestones along the way. Perhaps that's why when we break away from the "normal" list pattern, it's often stated as "getting out of our comfort zone". We also seem to like lists which, within a short-term time frame, seem reasonably achievable to get through. Add the berries, juice and ice to blender, push button, run for 60 seconds, enjoy. Not: Get in car, go to store, get cart, get berries, get juice.. yada yada, even thought the end result is the same enjoyment! Anyway, that's a list of some of my thoughts on lists. We are surrounded by lists from an early age onward until we die, so we tend to find them a comfortable ambient presence in our lives.

Some lists appear quite explicitly (much like your list of lists above). Other lists, much less explicitly visible, often influence heavily without us even realizing it. For example, telephone numbers, simple lists of digits which on their own hold no importance, but listed together can form the most important list in our lives.

I believe we love ordered lists because they lead us to a “promised land” of good things gotten or bad things avoided, and have been programmed this way since we were children.

Our parents started us early with simple lists,
‘Behave your self, sit up straight, pay attention, be quiet and we’ll get ice cream.”

All through our lives lists have guided us to keep us out of jail (basic laws), start up our gizmos (first push primer bulb then pull chord).

List follow the natural progression of time , priority and importance. One could say our entire lives consist of a high-level list leading from Step 1 to death, with key milestones along the way.

Perhaps that’s why when we break away from the “normal” list pattern, it’s often stated as “getting out of our comfort zone”.

We also seem to like lists which, within a short-term time frame, seem reasonably achievable to get through. Add the berries, juice and ice to blender, push button, run for 60 seconds, enjoy. Not: Get in car, go to store, get cart, get berries, get juice.. yada yada, even thought the end result is the same enjoyment!

Anyway, that’s a list of some of my thoughts on lists.

]]>