Terms really affect people. Thinking more about my most recent post, so many people are fooled because something is called (and given the pretty branding of) a “Circle” rather than a “List”.

I can just imagine the masses: “Oh, my God it’s revolutionary! There’s no way it can be like anything before it!!!” Well, it is and the problem is that you are just listening and not thinking. Google+ Circles are very similar to Facebook Lists.

So, who’s making the mistake here? Is it the people because they’re not thinking for themselves, or is it Facebook for not taking advantage of the fact that people don’t think for themselves?

Ironically, I think it makes sense for a company to leverage this fact about people - how easily they’re motivated by flashy things they hear in the media… and by positioning - and position your product appropriately. 

Being on the business and marketing side of software projects, I’ve run up against this situation many times: Someone technical says, “No, it doesn’t matter what we call it… it is what it is.” Well guess what, here’s a life lesson that it does matter!