Recipe for Complexity
Step one: Take a life. Any life will do, whether in motion or at rest, whether great or small, whether treasured or common.
Step two: Place the life in society. Society, after all, is the foundation of complexity. A life by itself in a bowl has no complexity. It needs society, the presence of other lives, in order to be prepared for the introduction of complexity.
Step three: Add government. For beginners, a general, national government will do. As you grow in the experience of creating complexity, you may add other governments. The more governing bodies, the more complexity will increase. Please note this is not linear, but more approaching exponential increase in complexity. In my society of the United States of America, in just a shade over 230 years, we have generated an enormous amount of government (and thus complexity). It is a wonder that we do not collapse under the sheer weight of it. As I sit today, I am under the governmental jurisdiction of: federal, state and county.
But the sinister beauty of government for making complexity is its yeast-like quality. The three governments that touch me are not entirely self-contained. They have germinated other governments that affect me. So that one may sit in one's living room and be the citizen of: federal government expressed as taxing authorities, police authorities, environmental authorities, trade authorities, banking authorities, utility authority and so forth. The state is worse because they promulgate not only their own taxing, police, environmental and utility authority, but they empower the county to wreak havoc. The county can have city governments, too. Between them you are subject to further tax law, further policing, water conservation issues, lifestyle restriction (as in smoking bans) and zoning laws which take away property rights that our ancestors died to gain. And on and on and on.
So government is the best ingredient for complexity, but use with care.
Step four: Mix in religion. Government, despite its best efforts, cannot touch the conscience of the life. You will need religion to reach into the heart of man and make it complex. Life has a natural inclination of right and wrong. A master chef can blend religion into this natural flavor to create anxiety and guilt and endless comparison and other emotions which are useful molecules of complexity.
Step five: Garnish with family. Or, if you prefer, you can use family with social organizations. Or just social organizations. Or organized sports. Or even hobbies.
Step six: Store your complexity carefully. Complexity does not fare well in rested mind, nor is it long-lived in a life of spiritual reflection. So limit solitude, seal out as much humor as possible and keep the busy-ness set as high as is tolerable.
Bon Appetit!
Step two: Place the life in society. Society, after all, is the foundation of complexity. A life by itself in a bowl has no complexity. It needs society, the presence of other lives, in order to be prepared for the introduction of complexity.
Step three: Add government. For beginners, a general, national government will do. As you grow in the experience of creating complexity, you may add other governments. The more governing bodies, the more complexity will increase. Please note this is not linear, but more approaching exponential increase in complexity. In my society of the United States of America, in just a shade over 230 years, we have generated an enormous amount of government (and thus complexity). It is a wonder that we do not collapse under the sheer weight of it. As I sit today, I am under the governmental jurisdiction of: federal, state and county.
But the sinister beauty of government for making complexity is its yeast-like quality. The three governments that touch me are not entirely self-contained. They have germinated other governments that affect me. So that one may sit in one's living room and be the citizen of: federal government expressed as taxing authorities, police authorities, environmental authorities, trade authorities, banking authorities, utility authority and so forth. The state is worse because they promulgate not only their own taxing, police, environmental and utility authority, but they empower the county to wreak havoc. The county can have city governments, too. Between them you are subject to further tax law, further policing, water conservation issues, lifestyle restriction (as in smoking bans) and zoning laws which take away property rights that our ancestors died to gain. And on and on and on.
So government is the best ingredient for complexity, but use with care.
Step four: Mix in religion. Government, despite its best efforts, cannot touch the conscience of the life. You will need religion to reach into the heart of man and make it complex. Life has a natural inclination of right and wrong. A master chef can blend religion into this natural flavor to create anxiety and guilt and endless comparison and other emotions which are useful molecules of complexity.
Step five: Garnish with family. Or, if you prefer, you can use family with social organizations. Or just social organizations. Or organized sports. Or even hobbies.
Step six: Store your complexity carefully. Complexity does not fare well in rested mind, nor is it long-lived in a life of spiritual reflection. So limit solitude, seal out as much humor as possible and keep the busy-ness set as high as is tolerable.
Bon Appetit!
posted by TT | 4:57 PM
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