[lit-ideas] Complexity, was Hitchens Arguably on John Brown
- From: Andy <mimi.erva@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: lit-ideas <lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 19 Oct 2011 05:14:02 -0700 (PDT)
I agree with you. Complexity is good only up to a point. Over a certain
fairly low level, complexity begins to be complicated and counterproductive.
Our society, for example, is way too complex and fragile. We're way too
specialized. Our whole system is based on just-in-time. Today each of us
knows how to do basically one thing: write books, fix cars, teach school,
crunch numbers, do surgery, whatever it is, and that's all we know how to do,
which we exchange for this symbolic thing called money which we then exchange
for our necessities that are produced by this very complex system. Our limited
skills make us absolutely dependent on the system working as a whole. If
something goes wrong in that system, our umbilical cord to our necessities is
damaged or even broken. However, that farmer in 1940's Idaho can survive quite
nicely because his umbilical cord is much less fragile. Ironically, the level
of complexity that brings
happiness is in terms of U.S. dollars is about $13,000 (three zeros). Above
that, complexity begins to be counterproductive.
Andy
________________________________
From: Eric Yost <mr.eric.yost@xxxxxxxxx>
To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Wednesday, October 19, 2011 1:29 AM
Subject: [lit-ideas] Re: Hitchens Arguably on John Brown
>>complexity is the opposite of randomness
No it isn’t. Complexity need not be complicated and may include certain random
factors. Complexity in the sense I am using it is the opposite of “isolated and
independent.” Per Bak’s “self-organized criticality” or “sand pile” model of
complex adaptive systems is a good example. Check it out.
Examples:
Complex system going critical = guy forgets camera at airport, goes back inside
to get it, jumps through security gate, setting off general alarm that closes
the airport, which is an airline hub, so that airport closing causes flight
cancellations all over the East Coast.
Non-complex system going critical = a farmer in 1940s Idaho forgets his camera
and has to go back to his house to get it. He does. End of story.
Other related posts:
- » [lit-ideas] Complexity, was Hitchens Arguably on John Brown - Andy
