Wednesday, October 08, 2008

the relative powers of elegance and aesthetics

“In refusing to run to catch trains, I have felt the true value of elegance and aesthetics in behavior, a sense of being in control of my time, my schedule, and my life. Missing a train is only painful if you run after it!

source: The Black Swan: the impact of the highly improbable by Nassim Nicholas Taleb

I don’t run to catch trains.

Except in those instances when not running to catch a train upsets the person with whom I am traveling. Elegance and aesthetics get wiped away pretty quick when you’re sitting next to somebody seething.

1 comment:

David Lee Ingersoll said...

I will run to catch buses. But I hate doing that so I try to be early to the bus stop.

And the train station. And the airport. And parties. Not that one usually needs to run to catch parties. I just don't feel on time unless I'm at least a little early.