The Untapped Potential of Less

we need to go from thinking add  or  subtract to thinking add  and  subtract. The add  or  subtract framing forces us to try and resolve an apparent contradiction. If A is true, then not-A must be false. If I like subtracting, then I must not like adding. Resolving contradiction is not a bad thing. Doing so has aided r

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After all, Pablo Picasso defined art as the “elimination of the unnecessary.” The more that is added, the more opportunities for artistic elimination. Here’s a more concrete example. All around the world, pocket parks are making cities more livable. These tiny parks are typically “built” by subtracting a single (often derelict) building.

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When I discuss my research, no one argues that, when trying to improve something, we don’t often subtract. Listeners nod knowingly when I mention how we pile on “to-dos” when we really need “to-stops,” or how we  create  incentives for good behavior … but don’t get rid of  obstacles  to it. It rings true when I mention that

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