The early hot air balloon existed in a "liminal period" where it was seen as both a magical novelty and a dangerous gimmick. This phase precedes a technology finding its true purpose, determining whether it becomes a serious tool (like a computer) or a mere toy (like silly putty).

When Zipline showed investors a real-time map of its drone fleet over Rwanda, the investors dismissed it as a simulation of a future goal. This violation of people's concept of the possible became a powerful indicator of their technological leap, forcing Zipline to add CCTV footage to prove it was real.

We instinctively resist things that violate our established mental categories. The visceral rejection of drinking fresh water from a pristine toilet demonstrates this powerful bias. Disruptive innovations often fail not because they are bad, but because they force people to break a well-defined mental category, causing cognitive dissonance.

Even as AI models become vastly more powerful, widespread adoption is throttled by the slow evolution of users' mental models of what AI can do. People rely on a system based on past experiences, and it takes a 'magical' result to expand their belief in its capabilities for new, complex tasks.

Despite dreaming of self-driving cars for decades, the host found himself bored and checking his phone within minutes of his first ride. This reveals how quickly truly revolutionary technology can shift from a marvel to a background utility, losing its novelty upon proving its reliability.

New technology is magical for about a week before it becomes a mundane utility. A nurse complaining that a life-saving blood delivery drone was 30 seconds late illustrates how quickly users normalize revolutionary services and build new, higher expectations.

Founders should anticipate that truly new ideas are first dismissed as "crazy," then accepted as "novel," and finally deemed "obvious." Understanding this progression helps entrepreneurs endure the initial skepticism and see it as a sign they are on the right track.

The first internet live stream was a coffee pot, which seemed like a silly toy. This pattern repeats: transformative technologies begin with seemingly trivial applications. Skeptics consistently confuse this initial silliness with a lack of serious potential, failing to see how these "toys" foreshadow massive future industries.

We overestimate technology's short-term impact (the hype peak) and then overcorrect into skepticism (the trough of disillusionment). The real, transformative changes happen slowly and quietly after most people have stopped paying attention.