There's a terrible trend toward summating everything in listicles. How can there ever be exactly 10 reasons for anything?
1. There are rarely 10 reasons for anything. Sometimes, there are only two or three. These involve ego, need for love and conformism. But other times, there are very many. There might be 5 reasons why you should buy a Nexus 7. Or only one. Some might think there are 8 reasons why an Xbox One will get them through the holiday season. There are, though, 423 reasons why Microsoft Word will, in the end, drive you crazy.
2. When you start out knowing you have to find 10 reasons for something, how many of those are likely to be even remotely correct? Hitting .300 as a listicle writer is harder than for your average slugger.
3. If there was anything magical, revolutionary or even vaguely persuasive about offering 10 reasons why something, Apple's slick marketers would have launched the iPad with "10 reasons why you should buy the iPad." Instead, they showed the product and played some music.
4. Look at your favorite gadget. Were there really 10 reasons why you decided to buy it? Or was it just because 10 people you know have one?
5. When have 10 of anything ever had a positive effect on you?
6. The only reason people write "10 reasons why" posts is because they know that readers are desperate for simple answers. It's like "The 4-Hour Workweek." Just give them the topline and they think they know it all.
7. 10 reasons why you love hot dogs. Go.
8. If there are 50 ways to leave your lover, how likely is it that there are only 10 to make her happy with a gadget on Valentine's?
9. Go on, try writing "10 Reasons Why The Gold iPhone 5S Is Great" and see how many you write down before you start laughing.
10. You didn't really imagine I'd think of 10, did you?
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