Seeking
Simplicity Is Only Human
By Jeffrey
M. Bowen
Simplicity
can be a complex matter. This sounds
like a contradiction, but when we stop to think about the interwoven choices
that surround our daily lives, it is no wonder that finding simplicity amid the
din is something like discovering silence at a rock concert.
When
the term simplicity is googled, lists of advice appear to tell us how to clear out
living quarters, pare down wardrobes, and change our diets. Unfortunately, not much is available to show
us how simply being human can be a very natural way to enhance simplicity.
Today’s
avalanche of technology provides an excellent example. Not long ago our refrigerator died after
weeks of ticking ominously. Disappointed
that it had lasted only nine years, but delighted that we had a 25-year-old
substitute fridge to store things temporarily, we hastened to the local
appliance store and complained to a sympathetic saleswoman about planned
obsolescence.
She said she was truly sorry. She explained that years ago refrigerators
seldom died because their compressors were built to last. Today’s regulatory and safety mandates doom
appliances to a much shorter life span. She could have added that computerized
features have made many appliances easier to throw out rather than repair.
This
savvy saleswoman simplified our lives.
We realized an extended warranty would hardly protect us from
malfunctions that were inevitable. Our
bias in support of the good old days was reinforced. And given her apparent knowledge and
emotional sensitivity at a time of stress, we were grateful to make a quick,
simple choice based on her recommendation.
A
more dramatic example of why simplicity often wins dates back 40 years ago. At the time I subscribed to a science
magazine in which one of the feature articles was about the pros and cons of
jet fighters. Today’s stealth aircraft
were foreshadowed with a stark warning:
they were precariously designed to stay in the air only as long as
instantaneous and constant computer adjustments to the controls were operating. When these experimental jets were flown into
simulated dog fights with old jets using simplified technology controlled largely
by humans, the Wright brothers would have cheered. You know who won.
Why
was this? For one thing, the technology back
then was undependable. Second, human
judgment and skill spelled the difference. Without a doubt, artificial intelligence and
amazing electronic communications have changed our game, but we should never
sell human judgment and simple thinking short.
Simplicity
thrives on the present moment. Spending
too much time regretting the past, or trying to predict the future, can
complicate life and immobilize us. By
learning to live our days one by one, a simpler life can be achieved.
Finally,
the abundance of simplicity in our natural world should be preserved. When you see a photo or a painting of nature,
most appealing is nearly always the impression of simplicity in the scene. I try to use this as a guide for every photo
I take. It also serves as a satisfying
guide to being human.
No comments:
Post a Comment