Here is a conversation which I had with my wife:
Me: I think I could use a pocket knife.
Her: Okay, let's see what they have at the store.
Me: It looks like mostly Leatherman tools. Why is there plastic in the handles now?
Her: Yeah, they used to be better made.
Me: I just wanted the Thing.
Her: I know.
A plainer pocketknife would be a good example of the Thing, which is a tool that has been designed with as much simplicity as it can bear. Simplicity brings several benefits, including the following: The Thing performs its task very well. The Thing, because it lacks superfluous gewgaws, has a minimum number of moving parts. It usually lasts a while, is repairable, and can be relatively cheap.
Compared to the Thing, human beings come up a little short. We have an infinite number of superfluous gewgaws: tonsils, trick thumbs, hiccups, agoraphobia, and music, among others. We are expensive. Our high costs include college tuition and the difficulty of childbirth. We break down easily, we are difficult to repair, and we only last for a few decades.
The main similarity between people and Things is that they all have occasional beauty or grace. However, the beauty of the Thing is a result of the thought that went into making it fulfill one purpose very well. What is the source of the beauty of people?
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