the sally sisson blog

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Left vs. Right: A Visualization of the Political Spectrum

Fair and balanced

Back in January I posted this infographic on my Facebook page as an interesting example of information design. I found it thought-provoking, but didn’t bother to articulate why.

Then this morning, I was watching a TED talk on YouTube with information designer David McCandless, and up popped the same chart. (Ironically, I had just come indoors after pulling my collection of political yard signs out of the ground, hoping to appease my neighbors.)

Viewing the graphic nearly a year later, in the aftermath of the cut-throat mid-term elections, it struck me as quaint and out of date. The hues of red and blue now looked too subdued, the lines too soft around the edges. It’s a friendly looking graphic, in contrast to the technicolor FOX News one in my mind.

And I guess that’s part of the point — and perhaps the chief reason it begs a second look. These are polarizing times, and we desperately need to find some commonality.

Oh say, can you see…

As McCandless eloquently described the thought process behind his infographic, I scribbled down his words (on Post-its, the back of an envelope, and the margins of the comics section of the Boston Globe). Here’s the bit that resonated with me most:

“When I was designing this image, I desperately wanted this side, the left side, to be better than the right side (…being a journalist type, a left-leaning person). But I couldn’t because I would have created a lopsided, biased diagram. So in order to really create a full image I had to honor the perspectives on the right-hand side, and at the same time I had to sort of, uncomfortably, recognize how many of qualities were actually in me—which was really, really annoying… and uncomfortable.

“But not too uncomfortable … because there’s something unthreatening about seeing a political perspective versus being told or forced to listen to one.

You’re capable of holding conflicting viewpoints, joyously even, when you can see them.”

A matter of perspective

“That’s what’s exciting for me: to see how data can change my perspective and change my ideas, even mid-stream.”

Watch the entire TED Talk here:

David McCandless: The beauty of data visualization

(Click on link above. The Left vs. Right bit is at 14:50.)

So I’ve been busy ghost writing a blog for a large corporation (to remain nameless) and neglecting my own. Big time.

All the tips I give clients about blogging—carving a niche, stockpiling content, hooking readers, building momentum, keeping a steady pace—went out the home office window a few months back.

And here I go breaking another rule of blogging: Never begin with an apology.*

But spring is a time of renewal and I’m suddenly inspired. After a long, frozen winter the record rainfall in March brought flooding to many parts of New England and despair to housebound freelancers like me. We’re just now coming up for air.

What floats your boat?

I’ve got creativity on the brain. I’ve been asking friends and colleagues—writers, designers, painters, poets, ad copywriters, computer programmers—for tips on overcoming “creative block.” How do you recharge when you’re spent? How do you clear the synapses and keep them snapping?

When you’re working hard to make a deadline on little sleep, how do you keep the creative juices flowing (and tired clichés at bay?)

When you channel all the creativity you can muster into a big project for a client, how do you find the bandwidth to dabble in anything artistic on your own? At the end of a long day, do you find a quiet corner to sketch, paint or write poetry? Or do you watch Rockford Files reruns? (No longer airing on TV Land but available on hulu.com. Just saying.)

Send your tips my way and I’ll share them in my inspired and inspirational follow-up. Stay tuned…

* Tip from blogger and writing coach Elizabeth B. Soutter via friendly nudge from digital media consultant Tracy Graves @ B4South