What’s the most memorable line from the Harris-Trump debate?
This bizarre claim born from a single regretted social media post, spread like wildfire. It even turned into “save the pets”-style memes posted by the likes of Ted Cruz, Elon Musk, the GOP House Judiciary, the Arizona Republican Party, and Donald Trump.
There was an immediate counter-narrative from the other side, consisting of both fact-checking but also counter-meming. (For example, the clip of Trump in the debate was remixed into songs). At this point, virtually everyone on both sides of the political aisle is familiar with the claim, either because of people spreading, “memeing”, defending, ridiculing, or fact-checking it.
What this story shows us is: extreme ideas spread. Whether you’re for them or against them, behavioral economics proves that we’re wired for the bizarre. We remember the weird stuff, and we talk about the things we remember. (Top of mind equals tip of tongue). There’s also a “salience effect”: ideas that stand out are noticed and remembered.
There’s a useful clue for all of us in this: the ideas that spread, win, and the ideas that stand out, spread. Those ideas can be wrong, misleading, half-truths, or intentional lies, yes, but they can also be true, valuable, and meaningful. It’s a double-edged sword, and which side is swung depends on the leader who holds it.
Consider Bill Gates’ vision: “a computer on every desk and in every home.” As he says, “It was a bold idea and a lot of people thought we were out of our minds to imagine it was possible.” In the 1970’s, this was laughable to many. (This was a time when computers were mammoths, clunky, and expensive, primarily the domain of governments and institutions).
The mainframe titans scoffed. “Personal computers? A fad. Real computing happens in air conditioned rooms, tended by experts.” But Gates’ idea was extraordinary. It had tension. It had edge. It spread.
As leaders, our job isn’t just to have the idea but to stand behind it and make it real. It’s about changing the conversation. Moving people. Making an extraordinary idea the new normal.
The real impact happens when the ideas that spread actually matter.
