What do you think of this post as a way to use graphics, narrative, metaphors, and orientation toward pragmatic strategies to communicate about dual process theory to a broad audience? It's part of the work of our new nonprofit organization, and we're trying to optimize ways to convey rational thinking strategies widely and thus raise the sanity waterline. So advice on how to improve this post, as well as our other posts, with an orientation toward a broad audience, would be helpful. Thanks, all!
Why are you asking us? We aren't exactly your core audience. Shouldn't you ask people who've never heard of dual process theory, and hear what they say about it?
My main impression was that this is still too close to Wikipedia. Anyone likely to benefit from your post is also likely to benefit from the Wiki page on Dual process theory. I'm thinking you need a much clearer picture of who to adress - and not who you'd like to listen to you (everyone, obviously), but who is currently underserved by the Wiki, by "Thinking Fast and Slow" and all your other competitors. I don't think you've done that nearly enough, and I believe this oversight puts you at great risk of investing a lot of effort ineffectively.
Lets take the Wiki as one example. It has much, much more readers than 99,99% of sites on the web. It has a huge credibility advantage over you. Some mobile ISPs don't even charge for traffic for that site. And perhaps most crucially, it isn't a "Copyright - all rights reserved" situation like on your site.
Let me digress here, because this is important. If you want to spread knowledge and raise the sanity waterline, you would obviously want people to copy and share your materials, use it in courses and seminars, create movies and infographics and podcasts with it. They don't do that if they have to expect you'll sue them. Why in the world would you reserve copyright? The cost to your potential impact is huge. Is there any benefit you're expecting?
Anyway. You can certainly compete with Wikipedia in the same "reads long-ish explanations with complex grammar on a web site" segment of the potential audience. But your audience won't benefit nearly as much as it could if you did something Wiki can't.
Personally, I suspect the best audience to target would be kids. Kahnemann's book is excellent and quite accessible, but probably beyond most 15-year-olds. If you could make materials fit for 10-year-olds, you'd have that market to yourself, and could do a ton of good. And since cognitive returns can be re-invested, those who get them early will benefit most!
Good point about younger people, we are actually thinking about working with the Secular Student Alliance and Camp Quest to convey these ideas to younger audiences, especially since the heads of both organizations are on the Intentional Insights Advisory Board.
Regarding the Wiki, I have the sense that the article on dual process theory there is quite a bit less engaging than our article, due to our focus on graphics, engaging narrative, and pragmatic orientation. Let me know your thoughts.
Good point about copyright, we'll think about that. Thanks for point... (read more)