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Journalists say that when a dog bites a man, that is not…

“Journalists say that when a dog bites a man, that is not news, but when a man bites a dog, that is news ... Thanks to the mathematics of combinatorics, we will never run out of news.” quote by Steven Pinker
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“Journalists say that when a dog bites a man, that is not news, but when a man bites a dog, that is news ... Thanks to the mathematics of combinatorics, we will never run out of news.”

Steven Pinker

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

News value depends on rarity and surprise; unusual events attract attention.

In simple terms: Unusual stories become news.

Key Takeaway

Seek novelty to capture interest.

Themes

media surprise attention

Mood

analytical curious

Type

informative critical

When to use this quote

  • breaking news
  • viral stories
  • unexpected events

Key Concepts

information theory journalism

Questions to Reflect On

  • Why do we prioritize oddities?
  • How does novelty shape perception?
A Different Perspective

Not all rare events are newsworthy.

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