Why Life Can’t Be Simpler • Hacker News Board

Re: Why Life Can’t Be Simpler

#21

Post by skmurphy » Tue, Oct 06, 2020, 1:42 AM UTC

“Whether something is complicated is in the mind of the beholder.” Don Norman

In the same way that a probability represents your state of information about an event or action your assessment of the complexity of a task or problem is a function of your state of information and relevant expertise.

I think this has implications for models like cynefin where the assignment to a domain (simple, complicated, complex, chaotic) is presented as objective but I believe this assessment if a function of your information and understanding.

One implication for designing software is to use familiar UI metaphors--which are viewed as simpler and easier to use.

One implication for competitive analysis is that you cannot assume that your competitors bring the same information and level of understanding to a problem that you do. In best case you have more information and expertise. In the case you need to anticipate, you have less information and expertise, and what looks complex or chaotic to you may be complicated to a competitor.

Re: Why Life Can’t Be Simpler

#22

Post by mStreamTeam » Tue, Oct 06, 2020, 1:42 AM UTC

carabiner wrote: post #15

I see this all around me. People are fixated on careers, hobbies (FOMO), spread thin by family obligations and errands. The truth is, happiness does not derive from these things. This "busyness" is an invention. Life is simple, and happiness actually derives from having cats.

This is funny because the most unhappy and anxious people I know are cat owners.

Re: Why Life Can’t Be Simpler

#23

Post by war1025 » Tue, Oct 06, 2020, 1:43 AM UTC

georgeecollins wrote: post #10

war1025 wrote: post #4

The article leads with a quote by Don Norman. I read his book "The design of everyday things" after hearing a lot of people speak highly of it. I found it quite underwhelming. Anyone have insight of what people think is so noteworthy about that book?

Wow! I was his student many, many years ago. I had to take his class because he was the head of our department. I thought I was going to do something very different with my life and I wasn't very interested, except that he was a great lecturer. In retrospect he was easily the most influential professor I ever had. If his work in something like "Design of Everyday Things" seems underwhelming I would guess that is beca…

I think part of the trouble is I read the "revised and expanded edition." From some of the reviews I remember reading at the time, the revisions did the book no favors.

Re: Why Life Can’t Be Simpler

#24

Post by Scoundreller » Tue, Oct 06, 2020, 1:59 AM UTC

mStreamTeam wrote: post #22

carabiner wrote: post #15

I see this all around me. People are fixated on careers, hobbies (FOMO), spread thin by family obligations and errands. The truth is, happiness does not derive from these things. This "busyness" is an invention. Life is simple, and happiness actually derives from having cats.

This is funny because the most unhappy and anxious people I know are cat owners.

Think of how unhappy they'd be without cats!

Re: Why Life Can’t Be Simpler

#25

Post by [deleted] » Tue, Oct 06, 2020, 2:04 AM UTC

Animats wrote: post #12

pwinnski wrote: post #2

There are many things in life that cannot be simpler without losing some level of choice that we value, I'll grant that. Nobody who has ever dealt with the United States Government, or any US State government, can tell me with a straight face that the principle is absolute. Or, put another way, I'll gladly give up all the choices that lead to misery every time I deal with the IRS or DMV in exchange for things to be a…

"Hello. Welcome to the Automated DMV, Mr. Smith. Your car registration needs to be renewed. Since you're here, and we recognize you, and your car is in the parking lot, and we recognize that, too, renewal will be $122. You have three parking tickets outstanding, so we will add $150 to that. You have one red light violation, and we're sending video of that to your phone if you want to contest it. But since the face an…

[deleted]

Re: Why Life Can’t Be Simpler

#26

Post by FpUser » Tue, Oct 06, 2020, 2:10 AM UTC

mStreamTeam wrote: post #22

carabiner wrote: post #15

I see this all around me. People are fixated on careers, hobbies (FOMO), spread thin by family obligations and errands. The truth is, happiness does not derive from these things. This "busyness" is an invention. Life is simple, and happiness actually derives from having cats.

This is funny because the most unhappy and anxious people I know are cat owners.

I am a cat owner and happy like a clam ;)

Re: Why Life Can’t Be Simpler

#27

Post by CGamesPlay » Tue, Oct 06, 2020, 2:10 AM UTC

Animats wrote: post #12

pwinnski wrote: post #2

There are many things in life that cannot be simpler without losing some level of choice that we value, I'll grant that. Nobody who has ever dealt with the United States Government, or any US State government, can tell me with a straight face that the principle is absolute. Or, put another way, I'll gladly give up all the choices that lead to misery every time I deal with the IRS or DMV in exchange for things to be a…

"Hello. Welcome to the Automated DMV, Mr. Smith. Your car registration needs to be renewed. Since you're here, and we recognize you, and your car is in the parking lot, and we recognize that, too, renewal will be $122. You have three parking tickets outstanding, so we will add $150 to that. You have one red light violation, and we're sending video of that to your phone if you want to contest it. But since the face an…

There's no world in which a DMV with access to your bank account waits until your registration renewal to charge you with a traffic violation.

Re: Why Life Can’t Be Simpler

#28

Post by cgriswald » Tue, Oct 06, 2020, 2:11 AM UTC

earthboundkid wrote: post #18

catallergies wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm allergic to cats. Pets also add complexity to life, e.g. when you want to go away for any length of time.

You can leave cats alone for a weekend without an supervision, just a bowl of food and some water.

My friend did that. His cat ate all the food in a single sitting and was both fat and almost dead from not eating for two days.

Re: Why Life Can’t Be Simpler

#29

Post by XorNot » Tue, Oct 06, 2020, 2:16 AM UTC

cgriswald wrote: post #28

earthboundkid wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You can leave cats alone for a weekend without an supervision, just a bowl of food and some water.

My friend did that. His cat ate all the food in a single sitting and was both fat and almost dead from not eating for two days.

It doesn't work if you normally don't let your cat choose their meal times. But cats do develop food intelligence unlike dogs and will only eat what they need - the key is they have to have a reliable expectation that food is always available.

An automatic feeder helps - since getting one there's always good in my cats bowl but she only eats a little at a time.

Re: Why Life Can’t Be Simpler

#30

Post by topkai22 » Tue, Oct 06, 2020, 2:37 AM UTC

Interesting that this article talks entirely to the complexity of technological systems and business processes. Largely, those aren't the things that make my life complex, it's other people.

Being the middleman between two people who you love but hate each other is complex. Telling someone who is smart enough to do a job but hasn't been performing that they aren't getting their contact renewed is complex. Figuring out why your two year old is crying is sometimes flat out impossible. Setting up kubernetes or reading processes for what forms to bring the DMV? Annoying, but manageable. If those were the only complexities in my life, it would be simple indeed. Less rich, but simple.