Startup Cyanide (Part 2)

The Catharsis of Simplification

If everyone is busy innovating, the next big thing must be the antithesis of innovation. Once the world has reached its carrying capacity of this-x-that technology, the companies that succeed will need to do so with reduction and simplification in mind. The solution to clutter is not another gadget or productivity tool. It’s the good old-fashioned kitchen recycle bin. Less (features, buttons, add-ons) is more.

The word “minimalism” has surged within the English corpus of the past 50 years. Marie Kondo has sold more than 7 million copies of The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up. Representations of the hegemonic American home in advertising and entertainment media picture practically unlived-in living spaces compared to decades past. We are squirming away from the tentacles of capitalism as certain politicians — the Bern — rekindle new generational ideologies. To fully tear off our blinders, however, a degree of deliberation is necessary.

In practice, we love to slim down. Letters, filing cabinets, calculators, cameras, and gaming consoles have been jam-packed into palm-sized aluminum chassis. Our outfits have steadily transformed from layered ruffles and heavy linens to nickel-thin fleece and nylon socks. We not only require less to work and play, but also aspire to carry less on our persons. There…