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Be Extra. (Strategically.)
Every Tuesday, The Productive Disruptive delivers storytelling science, message makeovers, cultural commentary, and a little rebellious hope for anyone still stubborn enough to believe communication can change the world.
Dorian Johnson
March 03, 2026
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Ever had someone miss the hint?
Like… completely.
You soften your tone.
You shorten your replies.
You hope the vibe speaks for you.
But it doesn’t.
Some people don’t respond to hints(even though you’re praying they do).
They require directness.
No wiggle room.
No plausible deniability.
No room for alternative interpretations.
Which raises a question.
Why are there so many types of breakups?
There’s the “we need space” breakup.
The “it’s not you, it’s me” breakup.
The slow fade breakup.
But here’s the thing.
All those breakup types sit on a spectrum of language, intention, and ambiguity.
Some leave the door cracked.
Some close it gently.
Some technically end things while still sounding negotiable.
Ultimately, they can be misread.
And then there’s the other end of the spectrum.
The kind that doesn’t invite interpretation.
Mariah Carey gave us a masterclass in that.
I am a biiiig lamb. I randomly remembered this line and was like “Yup, this is next issue’s topic.”
“Cause when I break, I break, I break
And no superglue can fix this shit…”
“Not even a welder and a builder can rebuild this shit…”
“Not even a nail technician with a whole lotta gel and acrylic…”
As if it weren’t clear enough at this point, here is my favorite part to put the final nail in the coffin.
“If we were two Lego blocks
Even the Harvard University graduating class of 2010
Couldn't put us back together again”
What’s left to decode here?
Y’all. Ain’t. Getting. Back. Together.
This comes from her song “Up Out My Face.”
Notice the crescendo.
She doesn’t just say, “We’re done.”
She started small, then escalated until reinterpretation became impossible.
It even got more ridiculous.
Superglue? fails.
Welders? fail.
The nail tech? fail.
Most of us communicate like the earlier breakups.
Too open to reinterpretation.
We say:
“This policy has limitations.”
“This approach may not yield the intended outcomes.”
“There are concerns.”
Technically accurate.
Emotionally negotiable.
Memorably… meh.
Meanwhile, Mariah didn’t add more explanation.
She added magnitude.
She escalated until your brain stopped bargaining.
And that’s the difference.
Ambiguity invites negotiation.
Escalation announces conclusion.
Being a lil extra can be strategic.
Because if your message can be softened,
It will be.
🧠 Story Science Side Note: There’s a reason that Lego line lives in your head.
Distinct things are more likely to be remembered.
Psychologists call this the Von Restorff effect. When one item stands out from the rest, your brain encodes it more deeply.
📝 Message Makeover:
Before: “This program is broken beyond repair.”
After: “Even a room full of engineers with unlimited funding couldn’t resurrect this.”
Don’t “save” that program, it don’t wanna be saved.
🛠️ The PHacilitator’s Corner:
Take one sentence from your recent work.
Now escalate it in three beats:
State the problem plainly.
Add one exaggerated repair attempt(No super glue can fix this)
End with one hyper-specific escalation.(Good ol’ Harvard)