Simplicity

What simplicity is

Today, above all else, people value good looks. I hope that one day people value simplicity just as much.

Simplicity is freedom from confusion, and so provides happiness.

The quest to express something simply can stretch the mind of the greatest thinkers, and yet the result may be appreciated by even the humblest of intellects.

Simplicity is getting your thoughts in order so that you can move forward and benefit by them.

People who express themselves simply show respect for others by allowing them to see ideas clearly. Without simplicity you are handing someone a birthday present that is exotically wrapped but may contain no gift.

Simplicity is the most effective means of communication.

How things become complicated

Po The world is not simple because we fix problems not design solutions.

We start with a simple structure and, people being what they are, will find a fault with it. So to fix the fault the structure is added to. After a number of additions the structure becomes large and complex, and the benefits of it being simple are lost.

We build roads on which we can travel in cars to wherever we want to go. Now we have lost the benefits of living in a simple community.

Tax systems have become so complex that a many people now make a living explaining how they work.

Some democracies have such complicated regimes that individual politicians feel powerless to get anything done.

Some languages are so rich in adjectives that people can talk for hours and not say anything.

Why don't people appreciate simplicity more?

There could be a number of reasons why people don’t appreciate simplicity as much as they should:

• If something is simply expressed a listener might conclude that this is because of his skilful comprehension rather than the speaker’s ability to communicate.
• People are not confident in their ability to express themselves, and do not value attributes they themselves do not hold.
• Simplicity is too bold. If someone summarizes a discussion in a simple way, the action people should take in consequence may become obvious. This may alarm others in the discussion whose only intention was to sit and chat.
• People may enjoy the novelty of drifting through a complex maze.
• There may be a strategic value in confusing your audience.

The simple philosophy of a high-school teacher

From a young friend:

I go to high school and my English teacher says that the problems of the world have simple causes.

She says the main problem is that there are a few rich people who control the bulk of a nation’s wealth. These people act in concert to ensure that poor people remain so.

In her model of the world, rich people also control the media, in all its various forms, to ensure that no dissenting views are expressed.

The only thing I’m confused by is, if her simple view of the world is correct, why hasn't everything changed now that we can all publish on the internet?

What simplicity means to a politician

The scene is a room in which are assembled a few Chardonnay-sipping politicians, planning their policies for the next general election.

The leader of the pack clears his throat and solemnly propounds the party’s policy objectives: "Above all else our policies must be simple. We have millions of people to communicate with of all ages and differing backgrounds, and we need to say things that all can understand."

If simplicity is a good thing then aren’t these politicians right to try to simplify matters?

There will be things that the politicians can and should simplify. There are other matters that are intrinsically complicated.

For example, there are political parties whose policy with regard to employment is simply: "Employees should be paid as much as possible."

In reality salary is only one factor an employee should consider when deciding whether to accept a job. Others might include:

• Future prospects
• Job security
• What sort of training is provided?
• Is it a pleasant work environment?
• Will the job foster personal development?
• Does the work contribute to or detract from society?

Politicians do a great disservice to the community by over-simplifying things. They should be broadening the perspectives of their constituents; instead they often make them more narrow.

Why aren't computers simpler?

A friend of mine is in her fifties and using computers for the first time. She said, "Trying to figure out how to use my computer is like hunting for Easter eggs. You search here and there trying to find functionality under the various menus and buttons and windows - and then suddenly something works. You feel joy at your discovery and this propels you further along your quest. It’s fun, but it ain’t simple."

I’ve been working on a project to simplify computing for novice users and it has shown me the huge number of obstacles software developers unwittingly put in front of those who wish to learn their software. Rules that apply in one context are re-written for the next. The users are often not told what is required of them, so they search under buttons and menus and such like for a clue on how to proceed.

Computer software is developed by people who like to play with computers and who think everyone else does too.

Why aren't women simpler?

From a young friend:

I am a 17 year old boy and, quite frankly, find women confusing.

My question is: Why isn’t the process of getting a girlfriend more simple?   And why, when you do form a liaison with someone, is there so much mystery and uncertainty involved?

One girl told me, "It’s more fun that way!"  If she wants intrigue why doesn’t she try crossword puzzles?

Several years ago there was a government campaign here in Australia to educate young men in how to understand women. It was entitled "No means no."

Firstly, I think it would have been less ambiguous for them to have said, "No always means no." Secondly, why didn’t they answer the question that we young chaps are really interested in: What simple indicator means ‘yes’?

Even if women think it’s more fun to keep us guessing, what can be in it for politicians?