Time For Ben
How Many Engineers Does it Take to Turn on a Light Bulb?I enjoyed this article in my copy of TIME magazine this week entitled “The Science of Appetite” by Jeffrey Kluger.
The pullout quote helps to explain why we humans always crave more. We’re biologically programmed to prepare for the “just in case” scenario as part of our instinct to survive. So even when we buy a new device, we think to ourselves, “I don’t really need that, but maybe I just might.” Only those that are truly self-assured can begin to consciously choose the constraints of simplicity over the delicious rapture of complexity.
Thinking of Maslow’s pyramid of needs, it may be that if you’re at the bottom of the pyramid in true survival mode, you desire complexity; on the other hand if you are sated in most ways, you desire simplicity. Seems to make sense. Moving up in the world, you desire more; when you’ve already made it to the top you are obesely full and want to get by with less through reduce-ing.
More = Survival; Less = Survivable.
8 Responses to “More = Survival”
subscribe
It’s true what you’re saying here. I think mothers are the best example of the “just in case” scenario, at least mine is.
To come back on the pullout quotes; they’re not only there to emphasize certain points from the text but they also serve a different purpose. People who scan the pages of an article only read the title, check out the images and might also read these pullout quotes. When used like this, they give some more indept information about the article. I often read this way and it saves me TIME also.
Looking at it from that perspective it wouldn’t be something I would get rid off that quickly. I do believe that when you format text properly with clear headers, subheaders and images that these quotes would become redundant. That’s not only about the lay-out but also the content of these elements. And as long as everybody is not equally talented in writing articles and designing lay-outs (including me), I feel reliefed when bumping into the occasional pullout quote.
Thanks for the in-depth thoughts about pull-out quotes. I’ll never look at a page the same way again Dennis. Regards, John
This pullout could be rewritten to:
“Corporate managers never knew when they were going to have dinner again. It was best to gorge when they could.”
This is why it is almost impossible to “REDUCE” project scope of large projects in the corporate budget process. Everyone feels they need to get their business needs represented on as many projects as possible because you never know what the next budget cycle looks like. It becomes difficult then for managers with large budgets to say “no - we need to reduce scope” when they have budget and staff to supposedly complete a very large project. Thoughts?
As you know sometimes , something exchange your life. For me these things are not more but there are. some times these things are some guys like teacher, friend, parents and … and sometimes they are books, papers or events . one of recent happeining in my personal and perofessional life was your excelent book ” the laws of simplicity” . I ‘m happy that your book conciliated me with technology as well. I introduced your book in my DESIGN21 social design network blog as a good resource for using technology in humanism way and thought. any way may be this comment isn’t about your last post in your blog. but I want to tell you about your book’s influence on me and if you want you can see my post on your book in this page : http://www.design21sdn.com/people/5072/posts/338
Hello Scott. I do like your last name: “Meade” — we’re lexical cousins for sure. On your point of why REDUCE is not an option when there are mouths to feed (which really is all the time, isn’t it?), I have to agree with you there. The only thought I could add is that I’ve always been in the odd situation where I do all my work alone so I’m fundamentally REDUCE-d in what I can achieve. If I were to have a large studio with 30 staff members I’m certain that things would be different for me. I really think that simplicity is sometimes more of a luxury than anything else.
On Mahmoud’s point, I’m glad you were able to find LOS useful. Best regards, John
i feel this is connected to the unconscious need to breathe?
believe this affects us on many levels
At the bottom of the heirachy we desire complexity
and toward the top we desire simplicity.
That is quite a startiling observation!
however i would point existential philosophers and Zen ehtusiastist,(those who disire simplicity) are never fat or wealthy.
this is in deed a parodox!
IAD’s comment on breathing is elegant. Letting it in, letting it out. That truly is everyhing.
I find CD’s “fat” versus “skinny” Zen philosopher test intriguing. I wonder how true it is?