The writer Julian Barnes gives two definitions of a net:
A meshed instrument designed to catch fish.
A collection of holes tied together with string
The first definition is familiar to all. The second one sounds strange... But if you think about it... Hmm, it's actually true!
A solid jug filled with clay is useless.
A child's hunger “produces” milk in the mother's breast.
A predator's beak means prey is hiding somewhere.
Good implies evil.
The creators of the Superman comic once faced a problem. With his incredible power, he began to defeat all enemies and save everyone. The drama disappeared, and readers lost interest.
They had to introduce kryptonite—a rare mineral that makes Superman vulnerable. The intrigue returned. The plot came alive.
A plus needs a minus. And vice versa. Their conflict is their life.
I can just see Good, yawning in the shadow of the Garden of Eden: “What a bore... Let something happen... What if...?”.
Nothingness, emptiness, dirt, manure, rot, stench, mess—each phenomenon has a meaning that may be unpleasant or unclear to us. Yet.
For example:
Manure speeds up plant growth.
Periods of silence allow us to hear sound.
Chaos invites creativity to extract new order.
What seems like a curse transforms into a gift.
Hydrogen sulfide stinks, but people love to soak in sulfurous water.
Seeing a net as a collection of holes is also a kind of Lever.
Sincerely yours,
-Alexander
About me:
As a business therapist, I help tech founders quickly solve dilemmas at the intersection of business and personality, and boost company value as a result.
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