The expanding circle of attention

This is my own observation — no rigorous research to reference. But, looking at our 2 year old as he’s transitioned from a baby, I’ve been led to think about our times on, say, public transport. A baby will largely only focus on what’s right in front of their faces or directly impinging on their senses. As they grow, the vicinity becomes their circle. So if you’re on the tube, anything within sight in the carriage is fair game for them to fiddle with or want to investigate. But adults are capable of just sitting there - thinking, about things far away, in the future or in the past. It strikes me that small children just can’t do that — life is what’s around them or nothing. Hence endless fidgeting and investigation. Brilliant.

Published 14 Dec 2013

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The Overton Window

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The Overton window is a simple device to consider the full spectrum of policy ideas and identify the range of politically acceptable ones. Attitudes generally change slowly, as does policy to support them—with exceptions. Ideas that seemed radical or unthinkable at one time may gradually become plausible and popular. As this happens, the Overton Window shifts or expands. Consider how attitudes have changed towards slavery, segregation, women's rights, animal welfare or gay marriage. Or consider policies made alongside the development of driverless cars or supporting sustainable energy. At one time, prohibition—banning the production and sale of alcohol—was popular enough to become policy in the US, though it would be unlikely to be proposed now. Generally, the public is unlikely to elect politicians if they stand on policies too far outside the Overton window. And elected politicians will have difficulty enacting policies outside the window. Named after Joseph Overton of the Mackinac Center for Public Policy, the original model was a cardboard window that could slide over paper, and looking through the window, you could see policy options in one direction towards more government control and in the other towards less government control. He called it the window of political possibilities. The Centre named it after him after his death. He made the slider vertical to avoid associations with the political left or right.…The Overton window is a simple device to consider the full spectrum of policy ideas and identify the range of politically acceptable ones. Attitudes generally change slowly, as does policy to support them—with exceptions. Ideas that seemed radical or unthinkable at one time may gradually become plausible and popular. As this happens, the Overton Window shifts or expands. Consider how attitudes have changed towards slavery, segregation, women's rights, animal welfare or gay marriage. Or consider policies made alongside the development of driverless cars or supporting sustainable energy. At one time, prohibition—banning the production and sale of alcohol—was popular enough to become policy in the US, though it would be unlikely to be proposed now. Generally, the public is unlikely to elect politicians if they stand on policies too far outside the Overton window. And elected politicians will have difficulty enacting policies outside the window. Named after Joseph Overton of the Mackinac Center for Public Policy, the original model was a cardboard window that could slide over paper, and looking through the window, you could see policy options in one direction towards more government control and in the other towards less government control. He called it the window of political possibilities. The Centre named it after him after his death. He made the slider vertical to avoid associations with the political left or right.

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