The Power of the Obvious

The obvious is often overlooked because it's too easy, too humble, too available, too common, too, well, obvious.

However, it has a great power, something like the power of Lao Tzu's Great Tao. It's the kind of thing political commentators/humorists thrive on. People like Will Rogers, or Mark Russell, or Jimmy Tingle. It gives rise to the one-liners we all wish we'd thought of.

The main American prophet of the obvious was a guy named Robert R. Updegraff. He has at least two booklets out on the subject, billed as 'business classics' -

  1. Obvious Adams - The Story of a Successful Businessman (Updegraff Press: Louisville, 1916,1929,1953,1980)

  2. The Power of the Obvious (Executive Press: Littleton, NH, 1972)