Complexity arises from simplicity

Complex systems tend to evolve from simple ones, out of utility and necessity. This is somewhat useful to think about as a description of some parts of the world, so I'll talk a little about that. I think it's more useful, though, to think about it as advice: allow complexity to emerge from simplicity. Rather than attempting to ingeniously (and rigidly) enforce complexity, add it as the need arises, bottom up.

(I tend to want to do the opposite of this. This post is in a large part a reminder for myself.)

1.1 As explanation

This pattern is relevant to understanding some things, for example social institutions:

• The US government, especially the executive bureaucracy: we add more departments and regulations as the need arises. The constitution provided for the simple system, and complexity emerged over time.

• The modern Catholic Church and its extensive doctrine came from a more minimal early church. As new situations arose, priests had to do their best to interpret scripture to teach on new things.

In both cases, organizational complexity emerged gradually and mostly, I'd say, haphazardly. To understand these institutions' internal structure and functioning, it's useful to keep this origin in mind.

Also, emergence: Seemingly simple systems can have complex and weird results that are (or appear to be) more than the sum of their parts. For example, brains seem to result in consciousness, a weird complex and emergent property of chemistry and biology. Life itself is a surprising emergent phenomenon of chemistry and physics. There are lots of weird emergent phenomena with humans: culture, language, ideas etc.; subjective experience as it relates to things like art and storytelling is weird; blah blah for some reason I feel like I'm espousing faux-profundity. Just go read the Wikipedia. This page is mostly about the advice part anyway.

See also simplicity from complexity.

1.2 As advice

This is more useful, I think, as a prescription than a description. Allow complex systems to emerge from simple ones, out of utility and necessity. Allow complex projects to emerge from simple ones, out of creative inspiration.¹

Another way to put this: deal with complexity bottom-up, not top-down.

Another way to put this: start with the bare minimum functional thing (e.g. a startup Minimum Viable Product) and build upwards from there.

Another way to put this: start doing the thing and get better over time instead of trying to do the thing perfectly immediately.

Another way to put this: don't break things that work; make them better.

Another way to put this: make things better incrementally, rather than trying to change everything at once.

Another way to put this: spend less time on reasoning about the system, spend more time doing the thing. System will come as you need it.

1. If you're trying to design a site, don't try to imagine every use case and accommodate for it before publishing or building anything. First put all the stuff you want on there, start writing stuff and pushing code, and then structure it afterwards in a way that makes sense.
2. If you want to build a personal knowledge base or a note taking system or whatever, don't try to design a perfect "workflow" or rigid semantic organization system from the top down. Start by taking notes and putting content in. You can add rules and organization methods as the need and use arises.
3. If you want to keep your room clean, don't try and design a systematic plan for where everything is going to go; put things in places where they make sense as they arrive in your room.
4. If you're trying to study, start by studying the way you know how, maybe think a little bit while you're on break, then gradually build on the habits you have and refine your method. Avoid creating the ideal studying system with twenty new study methods at once; you will just not execute well.
5. If you're trying to rewrite your code, think a little bit, then go part-by-part and make it better. If you don't feel like rewriting the whole thing after all, you'll have something to show for those couple parts you improved, and everything will still work.
6. If you want to produce a big, intimidating art project, think a little bit, then make something small and satisfying. Then make something complementary or similar, or different, then keep making more art. Nuance will emerge.
7. If you're trying to figure out what to have for dinner, think a little bit, then pick an option and start down the path. If you don't like it, change direction.
8. If you're trying to live life, have a general direction, live with intention check in with yourself and your goals — but keep a gentle and light grip on your imagined future. Don't try and systematically account for everything you need or want. Spend most of your time living, instead of thinking about how to live.² Do your best to live, and let time reveal what it will; the world will give you things you couldn't have anticipated, things you didn't expect to value or need, and it will take away things that you thought would make you happy.

(If you're grumpy and political, you can probably apply this idea to economics too.)

The brain that likes binary thinking, the brain that likes logical and mathematical certainty, often gets caught up in analysis paralysis. The brain that likes ambition often gets caught up in perfectionism; approximating perfection is found through gradual refinement, not a priori systematization.

Another way to put this: think a little bit, but mostly just do stuff.

Footnotes