Everything is an Oversimplification

Last week I said culture is a pattern of assumptions. We need to operate based on assumptions to get by in the complex world we live in.

The world is, indeed, vast and complex. Have you ever spent time thinking about this? It can be a pretty intimidating idea, for sure.

To get by we need to utilize assumptions, shortcuts, heuristics, etc. These are necessary simplifications because there is a limit to how quickly we can process information. Indeed, everything is an oversimplification.

So, what are we to do? I guess the short answer is to not settle, and put time to work in our favor. Meaning, though the brain can only process so much information at a time, it can process for long periods of time.

I recently read Anders Ericsson's book Peak. If the name does not ring a bell, he is the guy who did the research which ultimately led to something called the 10,000 Hour Rule.

Like many oversimplifications, the 10,000 Hour Rule is not actually a rule. But, it sounds nice. So, Malcolm Gladwell put it in his popular book Outliers.

The idea is relatively simple and it goes like this. The human brain is extremely adaptable. And, with enough practice it can master just about anything.

Putting in 10,000 hours takes about 10 years. Which is, of course, a long time. But, the result is expert performance (a level few aspire to) so most things will not take as long.

Though I know I am rambling in this post, my point is the following. Life is complicated and it takes time to figure out. So, don't give up.

Depending on your persuasion, the fact of life's complexity can be either stimulating or depressing. The depressing slant would be that 10 years is a long time to work hard. The stimulating idea is that we need not ever get bored.

I mean, let's face it, the time will pass either way. Look at it this way, 10 years is about 12.5% of the average lifetime. Doesn't look so long anymore, does it?

I will leave you with that famous quote from Oliver Wendell Holmes, “For the simplicity on this side of complexity, I wouldn't give you a fig. But, for the simplicity on the other side of complexity, I would give my life.”