Simplicity is Never Simple

 “Simplicity of character is the natural result of profound thought” – William Hazlitt

I don’t think humans beings were born to be organized; at least I wasn’t. Most of the time, my mind is like tangled wires, or the messy desk before me.

After watching the distressful Sotomayor hearings, I ended up with one quite irrelevant observation: the importance of consistency, especially in the politics “show business”. I’ve often remarked at how hard it is for us to remain perfectly consistent throughout our lives. Just imagine the amount of mental strength and self discipline that is required. A tremendous amount. Some would rather give in to their impulses.

More often than not, I find myself unconsciously drowning in all the modern world’s offerings. Oh, so many TV shows, movies on demand, always breaking news on CNN… Then, another 50 new posts from the many blogs I subscribe to… Afterwards with 100 more updates from Twitter. Oh, another iPhone released! More cool gadgets! More new movie releases I wish to see! Facebook! Instant messaging!  

Argh.

This is the point when I start wishing I never got a computer. The only way I became more appreciative of the beauty of simplicity, is by experiencing quite the opposite of it. Getting away from the TV, the internet, even people and retreating to classic novels, music, and nature is quite pleasant sometimes. The silence that results may seem like a void to many of the busy inhabitants in this modern society. But to me, it’s really a peace of mind that forms in the deeper regions of my soul.

The noise and information overload in today’s world often completely disturbed that peace. First, it was my inherent inclination to be attracted to the countless enticements. But the conscious desire to block out these distractions is stronger.

I don’t know about you. But I find it extremely hard to stay on topic for any essay, or even to maintain one coherent stream of thought. When it comes to driveling and prating, I am a master. But I have a hard time cutting out useless words and sentences.

Just like good writing, simplicity is the skill to be mastered. And I currently fail at both. Learning to cut down, pull away. Learning self restraint.