We Make Everything Too Complicated

Acros the Fence #543

Confucius said, “Life is really simple, but we insist on making it complicated.”

I received this from my good friend and old army buddy, Don Hanson. 

“Some years ago, there was a Mensa convention in San Francisco. Mensa is a national organization for people who have an IQ of 140 or higher. Several of the Mensa members went out for lunch at a local cafe. When they sat down, one of them discovered that their salt shaker contained pepper, and their pepper shaker was full of salt. How could they swap the contents of the two bottles without spilling any, and using only the implements at hand? Clearly – this was a job for brilliant Mensa minds. The group debated the problem and presented ideas and finally, came up with a solution involving a napkin, a straw, and an empty saucer. They called the waitress over, ready to dazzle her with their solution. 

They told the waitress, ‘We couldn't help but notice that the pepper shaker contains salt and the salt shaker contains…’ But before they could finish, the waitress interrupted, ‘Oh, I’m sorry about that.’ She leaned over the table, unscrewed the caps of both bottles and switched them. There was dead silence at the Mensa table.”  

After reading that story, I thought, this is so true of where we are today. We make things too complicated when there are simple solutions. I think we all have that feeling at this time of year after doing our taxes. It seems to get more complicated and harder to understand every year. By the way, if you haven’t sent off your tax forms and money to the IRS, they were due on the 15th. You better get down on your knees and plead for mercy before they come and haul you off to debtor’s prison. I’m always relieved when I have all my tax forms filled out and sent off in time. Mine is about 35 pages long. I think it’d be a lot simpler if I just sent them all my money and they can send back what they don’t want. Don’t think I’d waste my time sitting by the mailbox waiting for that return check to arrive.

When I think back, so many things are much more complicated now. Lets look at how we communicate.

When was the last time you had a great conversation? I don’t mean a one-sided, you listen and I’ll talk, type of conversation. I mean a real give and take, two-sided conversation, an across the fence type exchange of ideas.

Today people communicate with e-mail, text messaging, instant messenger, Twitter, Facebook, cell phones, landline phones, blackberries, voice mail, answering machines, and who knows how many other means of communicating I’m not even aware of. About the only things not used are two tin cans connected with a string, and smoke signals.

We had a phone attached to the wall.

Now people have phones attached to their ears.

Many people seem to have cell phones permanently attached to their ears. They let their fingers do the talking as they type and send text messages on their cell phones. It’s a changing world.

I know what you’re thinking. Those are all ways to communicate, so what’s the problem? Yes, those are all ways to communicate, but the technology keeps getting more complicated. Nothing is simple anymore. 

I know many people prefer to send e-mails or text messages, but where is the personal interaction in that? I prefer to talk face to face with a person or pick up the telephone and give them a call. At least that way, you can have an instant, back and forth conversation, instead of an impersonal, one-sided, question and answer session.

Another area that’s become more complicated is the simple act of watching television. In the ancient days of TV, you had a small screen with a black and white picture. If you were lucky you could get two channels. I know the younger generation will find this hard to believe, but to operate the TV, we had to get up from of our chair and use knobs, to turn it on and off, change the channel, turn the sound up or down, and adjust the vertical and horizontal lines that often interfered with the picture. It was quite simple to operate and we got some exercise at the same time. 

Now we have more channels than I can count. Most of them we never watch and never will, but in order to get the couple channels I like we end up with the whole package. All programs are in color now and you can also get HD (High Definition). You can add a DVR (Digital Video Recorder) to record programs so you can watch them later. If you go someplace you can “Watch TV Anywhere” on your computer and never miss your favorite show. Of course all these things require an army of remotes to program and operate. It helps to have a Doctor of Technology degree or a grandchild to operate them for you. We’ve come a long way in my lifetime from that small, black and white TV that could give you a hernia trying to lift, to the gigantic flat screens of today.

Life used to be simple, but we’ve definitely made it more complicated. I wonder what Confucius would think about all this paperwork and technology?

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