The Case Against Simplicity

The Pursuit of Simplicity Only Serves to Manufacture Our Consent, Not Our Understanding.

Seeking the understanding in complexity. Illustration by author.

There is nothing humans hate more than not knowing their place in the universe. We are continually looking at the world around us and demanding to understand our value within it. But that value is not easy to discern. Like a hurricane, there is no single root cause in a complex system. The harder one searches with the wrong perspective, the harder it becomes to find.

One of the reasons for this is our pursuit of finding a simple explanation in all things. As a society, we fetishise simplicity. We demand it from our governments, colleagues, friends and even family.

Simplicity provides a cognitive anchor. The perceived clarity it provides gives us the confidence to function in a complicated world. In many ways, that’s not a bad thing. I trust a system of electrics and plumbing will provide my morning tea. I trust brushing my teeth will prevent cavities without needing a knowledge of enamel decay. In these cases, you don’t need to understand complexity; you just need the tools to operate within it. A simple explanation is acceptable here because the impact is one of “cause and effect”.

On the other end of the spectrum, a simple explanation like stating the coronavirus was…