Why 90% of everything is sh*t
We live in a world of limitless media. There are many more books, TV shows, films, podcasts than you can shake a stick at. The truth is most of it is sh*t.
Theodore Sturgeon was a prolific writer of science fiction.
He enjoyed success as one of the most productive sci-fi authors of the fifties and sixties. All in all, Sturgeon wrote more than 200 stories.
However, not everyone was complementary about his achievements.
Many literary critics at the time belittled him by arguing that 90% of all sci-fi books were crud.
Sturgeon responded by saying “Yeah. But 90% of everything that’s published is crud, regardless of the genre.”
This observation became enshrined as ‘Sturgeon’s Law.’
You might think that this ratio seems a little harsh but then, as you take time to reflect on all the terrible books and movies you’ve either endured or given up on, you’ll soon realise that it feels about right.
You'll also notice that the law extends to most things in life. Ninety percent of business ideas are crap. Ninety percent of all advertising is rubbish. Ninety percent of social media is meaningless drivel.
So what can you do to combat Ted’s Law? Consider these three points for a start:
Don’t feel guilty about missing out on stuff because most of it is rubbish anyway. FOMO is truly overrated.
If you’re not enjoying something don’t feel that you have to persevere with it. Drop it and move on.
Learn to identify the 10% that’s worth it. Look at reviews and do a bit of digging to see what the smart people have read and recommended.
