One Thing

I've been spending a lot of time in England lately and I've noticed an interesting tendency.  It's probably not all unique to the UK, but one of those things that you notice as an "outsider".

In a way, it's scapegoating.  Basically, when talking about their problems, English people will pick one thing to blame, depending on the context of the conversation.

For example, a lot of traditional olde fashioned neighbourhood pubs are closing down.  Now, if the conversation started as a discussion on what they charmingly call "the credit crunch", THAT will be the reason that pubs and so many other businesses are closing.  Those darn bankers are the cause of all the troubles.

However, if the conversation started off as a discussion on the latest smoking laws, THAT is the reason (and the only reason) why pubs are having trouble.

Or, if the conversation was about immigration... well, you get the idea.

People like simple answers.  I guess it makes even the most ignorant or uninformed person feel proud of themselves.  By latching on to part of the actual answer, they can feel content in knowing that they've figured it out.

In marketing, it's much the same.  Marketers constantly have to feed a simplified, singular idea to the masses.  "Our product does X."  "You need Y to fix your life."  "The best thing about our service is how much it Z"...

I suspect that to an "outsider" this is no less ridiculous than making a single (yet completely changeable) issue the reason for an entire country's ills.