added by sari · updated 2y ago
The Untapped Potential of Less
- Tim Harford considers ‘addition by subtraction’—the idea that removing items is a neglected way of improving things. Anyone who has sent a paper for comments with the note that ‘it’s already too long, so suggestions on what to excise are very welcome’ will know that the vast majority of replies nevertheless suggest additions rather than deletions.
... See morefrom Economics & Marginalia: February 2, 2024 | Center For Global ...
Lindsay added
- Our bias is to always add more. More rules, more procedures, more code, more features, more stuff. Interdependencies proliferate, and gradually strangle us. Systems want to grow and grow, but without pruning, they collapse. Slowly, then spectacularly.
When a piece of trash drifts across the beach, it is our duty to pick it up so the next person can ... See morefrom What Can We Remove? by Steph Ango
Alex Dobrenko and added
sari added
- Simplicity is difficult because most of us are overcompensating for uncertainty. Adding something is easy. But removing something is hard, because it requires conviction. It’s easier to hedge against uncertainty, entertain multiple paths, and dilute your focus than to develop a strong opinion about what to exclude.
from Things I'm thinking about
Britt Gage and added
Breaking through to a better idea by subtraction, rather than addition, is the most satisfying kind of breakthrough.
-Jason Fried
sari and added
