The Inattentive Method of Tree Decorating

"Let chaos reign, then rein in chaos."  – Andrew S. Grove

When a tree is put together with too much care and planning, it looks phony. Just put the ornaments on the tree. The chaotic approach adds a greater sense of creative expression to any artform. Why should tree decorating be any different?

"Merry Christmas, Charlie Brown."

Conventional wisdom (the convenient wisdom garnered from widely held opinion) promises that one bests accomplishes any given task only through the methodical application of an intricately detailed plan, yet free market economists and group dynamic mediators would beg to differ. A rigid plan is often incongruous with healthy development of an organism or group: does conscious planning occur anywhere in nature? Yes and no. Biology conforms to coded blueprints (DNA); migratory birds follow memorized maps of landmarks and pressure changes; and different generations of ants will instinctively build similar colony nests, but none of the previously mentioned examples qualify as plans: lacking the instincts necessary for higher levels of functionality, humans developed culture to exchange thoughts and ideas between generations, so we (humans) habitually conform to plans because that is what our culture prods us to do – even though planning is against our nature.

Year after year, Southwest remains one of the most heavily traveled domestic airlines, which is particularly remarkable because it also consistently earns the highest safety and costumer satisfaction ratings. Borrowing a page from ants, fliers board planes via the swarm method. Some traffic studies in Europe have also shown that traffic could flow more quickly and safely if intersections used a chaotic swarm method, instead of traffic lights.

I also recommend a swarm method when decorating the tree. It is foolish to argue with results: it took me less time and the tree looks good, but it is a little small.