Misguided optimization

Industrialism brought us the idea of optimization. Incremental improvements combined with measurement to gradually improve results. We can optimize for precision. A car made in 2026 is orders of magnitude more reliable because the parts fit together so well. We can optimize for customer satisfaction. By reviewing every element of a user’s experience, we can

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Mysterious predictability

A watched pot will boil. As it heats up, there’s no way to predict where the cavitation will start and which bubble will arrive first. But with enough time and enough heat, it’s going to boil. That tree down the street is going to lose its leaves this winter. We don’t know which leaf will

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