Chickens Have Only One Wing
by Dick Dyer, APR

There once was a young man from a Caribbean Island who made his way to a US university. How the question arose isn’t clear, but during a required biology class the newcomer was asked how many wings to chickens have? His response—“one”—startled everyone into laughter. But the young man held to his convictions and insisted that all chickens have one wing.

How could this be? Who was right, the island visitor or the rest of the US biology class?

The answer is: both. Let me explain later.

Every day, seemingly disparate answers are given to questions that seem to only have one answer. This happens because people have different experiences leading to different perceptions of what is possible. This phenomena helps explain why people perceive that politicians are saying two distinctly different things, why policymakers seem to be setting different policy according to audiences who have heard the same information presented to them at different times.

Recently, a school board member asked me: ”I represent what’s in the best interest for kids and, at the same time, keeping costs down for taxpayers. Some of my constituents get it and others don’t believe me. How come?”

How can two groups of people presented with the same information arrive at different conclusions? And if so—who is right?

My answer is that they are both correct. But, this answer seemingly defies logic. So, my other answer is: “It depends on the island on which you grew up.” You see, the young man from the Caribbean island only saw one chicken in his life. That one chicken had only one wing—hence, all chickens must have on wing based on his observations of fact.

The real solution to the dilemma is to determine the base of information from which people are basing their perceptions. How many chickens have the seen in their lives? Who have they talked to and what have they heard?

The school board member needs to spend time with individuals to find out the basis of their information. That is the only way to determine where and why they are where they are and, most important, how to move them to a more desirable perception based on more complete facts. (There are chickens elsewhere in the world with two wings).

Lends new meaning to the old adage, “You can’t fly on one wing,” doesn’t it?

Dick Dyer operates his own public relations firm in Winthrop, Maine. He enjoys hearing from readers on column ideas and/or questions they would like pursued within this column. You can reach him by email dyerapr@fairpoint.net or by phone at (207) 512-2217.