Impressed By The Wrong Things

We’re often impressed by the wrong things:

When a framework/formula/system is put up for sale, we want to see screenshots of graphs and flowcharts… pages of supposedly-important nuance. If it’s got a lot of pages, surely it must be better? If it looks simple, perhaps it’s not worth the asking price?

When a new camera is put up for sale, we want to see how many megapixels it has… and that it comes with a carry-case and a spare battery. If it’s got lots of accessories bundled together, surely it must be better? If it looks like a lot is included, perhaps it’s worth a lot more?

What if the framework is complicated because it’s trying to impress you, rather than trying to serve you? What if the camera’s accessories are there because the seller knows people on Amazon often think 10 x $10 = $200?

We often undervalue simple and overvalue complex.

What if we did the opposite, appreciating how simplicity is often created by combining complexity, expertise, and focus?