This quick read draws on the science of the mind, ancient civilizations, mobile tech, Shakespeare, funny TV commercials, and a host of other diverse topics to explain why we prefer pictures over words, brevity over length and depth, and are thereby willingly giving up our ability to reach consensus and collaboration on any constructive action. Baskin makes a novel, contrarian conclusion come to life with illustrative examples, intriguing facts, and not a little bit of wit: it's not that a picture tells a thousand words, but rather we need a thousand words to understand most pictures. His insights have implications for how brands communicate with their markets, and how individuals should interpret those communications. Read this book and you'll never Tweet the same again...