👋 Hi there, fellow dumdums!

I was on TikTok — the goldmine of all things dumb — and this guy asked a question that made me laugh at first, but then kind of blew my mind . . .

It’s such a dumb question, right?

How do you even begin to characterize the opposite of medium?

That one question sent me spiraling down a rabbit hole. And as I thought more about it, I stumbled onto something I guarantee will help you unlock new, unexpected, bold possibilities.

Let’s get dumb.

Nobody loves the Middle

“I’d love a small coffee” or “I’d love a large lemonade” feels pretty natural to say or hear.

But “I’d love a medium beer” is something you will never hear.

Medium, or the “middle” is never our first love. It’s what we settle for.

When two sides can’t get what they want, they “meet in the middle,” and nobody’s happy.

It’s seen as settling, as unexciting, as less.

We’ve been trained to see the middle as a bad compromise.

The beige middle-ground. Bland. Boring.

But I think the middle isn’t boring—it’s overlooked. 

The middle isn’t always a compromise—sometimes it’s where the magic happens.

Think of it like a weird Venn diagram:

Two extremes overlap, and in the middle, something entirely new is born.

The duck-billed platypus shredding a keytar might not be the ideal Venn diagram result, but these magical middle collisions happen all the time — and when done right, they’re pure magic.

Take the Balenciaga x Crocs collab. 

Total opposites.

High fashion and low fashion. 

But when they collided?

💣️ 🤯 Boom. A cultural explosion.

People didn’t just notice—they flipped out.

The middle wasn’t a watered-down version of either extreme.

It became its own thing: bold, weird, and wildly successful.

Or take the collaboration between Louis Vuitton and Supreme. 

Louis Vuitton, the epitome of luxury fashion, and Supreme, the king of streetwear—two brands from opposite ends of the fashion spectrum.

When they joined forces in 2017, it was a collision of high-end elegance and urban grit.

The result?

A collection that sold out instantly, merging distinct styles into something entirely new and highly coveted.

The middle isn’t boring — it’s the birthplace of collaboration and innovation.

This is the heart of what I call the exploding middle.

It’s the practice of forcing opposites to collide and seeing what new, magically useful thing emerges.

Instead of dismissing the middle, I suggest we see it differently.

See it as a kind of weird chemistry experiment where you take two extremes (or opposites) and then smash them together and see what sparks fly.

(n.) A rare alignment of celestial bodies, like when the sun, moon, and Earth line up perfectly. But it’s also a poetic way to describe perfect balance or harmony between opposites.

Why it’s dumb (in the best way): First, it looks like someone rage-quit Scrabble. Second, it’s oddly fun to say (sizz-uh-jee). But most importantly, it perfectly captures “middle-thinking” — the rare moment when opposites align to create something extraordinary.

Example: Hybrid cars? Syzygy. Fusion cuisine? Syzygy. Balenciaga x Crocs? Total syzygy. It’s all about finding magic in the overlap.

The Exploding Middle Challenge

1. Take two things that seem like complete opposites.

2. Imagine smashing them together.

3. Ask: What’s the bold, unexpected result?

Need a spark? Start with this:

• Co-Working Spaces + Wellness Centers = Wellbeing Workplaces. Imagine a space where productivity meets yoga breaks and meditation rooms. Not just work-life balance—work-life harmony.

• Competition + Cooperation = Coopetition. Think Louis Vuitton and Supreme teaming up. Fierce rivals creating something neither could do alone.

By exploring the middle, you’re not settling—you’re inventing. The “Exploding Middle” is your new tool for innovation.

The Exploding Middle Toolkit:

✓ Redefine the Middle: Stop thinking of the middle as a compromise. Instead, frame it as the overlap—the unique space where strengths from both extremes come together.

✓ Smash Opposites: Identify two extreme ideas, products, or concepts that seem incompatible. Then imagine what happens when they collide. The tension between opposites is where the magic happens.

✓ Celebrate the Collision: Highlight the boldness of the clash. What makes this middle ground exciting, unexpected, or even weird? Lean into that energy to make it stand out.

✓ Ask “What’s Missing?”: Look at the two extremes and identify the gap they don’t address. The middle is often where unfulfilled needs find their answer.

✓ Venn Diagram It: Map it out visually. Draw two circles for the opposites and focus on what could live in the overlap. This simple exercise can unlock big, unexpected ideas. Unlike a traditional Venn Diagram where the goal of the overlap is to express commonality, the goal of the “Exploding Middle” is to let two extremes collide and let the overlap be the surprising results from the marriage of those two extremes.

Thanks for exploring the explosive power of middle-thinking with me today!

SHARE YOUR “EXPLODING MIDDLE” STORY WITH US: Tell me about a time you took two opposites and smashed them together—creating something bold, unexpected, or downright brilliant. The best story wins a signed copy of my book, Dumbify.

Stay boldly in-between,
David

P.S. Know someone stuck between two extremes? Forward this email — sometimes the best ideas are born from the clash of opposites in the messy, magical middle.