Complexity And Simplicity

The first I think with the word "complexity" is, that complex are those things, which change with every second, with every view on them, with every smallest action (possibly in a big way >>ChaosTheory). Nevertheless we don't realize most of these perpetual changes which always are connected with and depend on many other things, which are complex themselves and are simultaneous influenced by these too ("interdependancy"). 
From this point of view each running process is complex. Examples for running processes: Thinking, acting, every kind of social units as there are partnerships, companies etc.
So "complexity" is a word for those things, which are too complicated for being recognized in all their interdependencies, in their future actions and reactions on actions, in their "perpetual inner changes". And what we don't need for everyday life are "complex" theories on complexity. The theory we need for better actions in our complex human world has to be simple for understanding, otherwise it's useless. 
But warnings on "awful simplifications", as they are not only unable to decrease, but certainly will raise complexity (by definition).
What we do need for SimpleThinking is a reality-near deep knowledge about the background of the areas we are acting in. So I'm sorry to say that the prior condition of SimpleThinking is "DeepThinking".

Sofar "complexity", now, what about "simplicity"? What is it? How we can practise? Really, I don't know neither a general answer nor such things like prescriptions, but I have an Impression of that, what could be "Thinking Simple" and "Acting Simple".

98/05/03: ... "complexity" is a word for those things, which are too complicated for being recognized in all their interdependencies, in their future actions and reactions on actions, in their "perpetual inner changes": As you read it, didn't remind it at certain human beings? Those, who are close to you, as family, partners, collegues? I think, most of us are even more interested in the constancy of behaviour and character of our fellow-creatures than in their changes. If you have a consciuos view on this aspect, sometimes it might seem so , as if the others have a look on us like on a number as a part of their life-calculation. But, surely, we won't be the part of a calculation. We are living creatures with inner changes, changes of values and changes of behaviour. Sometimes in your life, you perhaps realized the astonishment of an old acquaintance when you met him or her after a long time about your changing of behaviour or kinds of thinking and acting. He or she might say, in former times you would have thought or acted different, and not always it is a positive critics on you.
There is a little story from Bert Brecht: Mr. Keuner met an old acquaintance, who said to him: Hello, Mr. Keuner, you didn't change at all! ... And Mr. Keuner became pale in his face ... 

I think, we all have a natural right for inner and outer changes, but for this right, we sometimes really have to fight! And so the others!
Now, in a time of the fastest - and perhaps hardest - change in the history of mankind, I think we have to accelerate our changes towards the necessities of the future in a total new way. Otherwise evolution goes another way and chooses others, who are not as bound in this way to their cultures, not bound to the duty of "staying the same".
Now, where is the connection to "simplexity (as i call the unsolvable connection between complexity and simplicity)", you may ask. I for myself long time ago realized the complexity of human beings, that of myself and that of the others. From my point of view, there is a perpetual inner change in every human being, which results complexity. Even a complexity for ourselves, which sometimes is hardly acceptable for ourselves.

This might be the first step towards "simplicity": Accepting the complexity of ourselves and that of the others, this might be the first step to accalerate our personal evolution.
The next first step (I can see only first steps, the second steps are those, which don't work before the former first) is perhaps much more complicated, as it is a step towards an active changing of our communication and interaction with others and our reactions on their actions.
How?
Always the same answer: I don't know any tricks or prescriptions (except our method SystemBuilding, which maybe hard work), I only can tell you stories out of my life, about my experience, their evaluation and my personal results of those. That might give you the energy, to look up your own experiences, for what you can find there and evaluate in a new way. My part is, to show you, where in your experience you can find that fitting piece of puzzle, you are just using for your personal next step towards your personal evolution. I'm sure, in your experiences there are tremendous hidden treasures of personal cognition available for this kind of development and acceleration of your personal evolution.
Helpful for your process of personal evolution might be the communication about this area of topics and this point of view with others, who also want to go steps on this way. 
98/09/20: Some little hints for your steps on this way you can find in the page "Steps Towards Future" ... as naturally on all our other pages.

For interested people: 
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© 1990-2007 Rolf Reinhold 

Last updated at 07 Nov 2007