Swizzle Stick

the salient thing

April 27—“Define” or “explain” something difficult, like a feeling or abstract concept…

detecting the important thing
in a stream of sensory input
is simply cognitive

things that move
with colours & lights:
physical salience

things that bring gasps & sighs
bypassing the brain for the heart:
emotional salience

things that threaten or entice
standing out:
motivational salience

tune in to slight movement
to kill mosquito:
directed salience

deaf to sirens in the city,
cows in the country:
adaptive salience

see a world of walking sticks
now that you have one:
salience bias

our lives are full of things
take notice, please
of what's important