Cognitive disconnect

Cognitive disconnect is the opposite of humor. Humor happens with the juxtaposition of conceptual incongruities where the mental tension is released through laughter. With a cognitive disconnect the shift doesn’t happen and the tension is not released. In other words, a cognitive disconnect is a bad joke when you a left not knowing whether to shit or go blind.

As an example, an acquaintance wrote she had recently attended a Disney Management Seminar.

My mind stopped functioning briefly, stuck on an image of a room full of suits clapping their hands and chanting, “I believe in fairies profits.” Was this the next step up from McDonald’s University?

If I remember correctly, it was Al Ries and Jack Trout in Positioning: The Battle for Your Mind that spilled considerable ink on the silliness of brand extension.

I nominate the Disney Institute for inclusion in the next edition of the book.

I know the people at Disney are real proud of their brand, but someone please tell me how to rid myself of this image of Tinkerbell in a three-piece suit that’s stuck in my head.  Anyone.