The Math of Least Resistance

13Jun11

“The Path of Least Resistance” It usually comes up in two instances, either as a nonchalant reasoning of someone’s personal choice on something of mild importance or a condemnation of laziness.  I don’t believe America has a true understanding of the path of least resistance or at least the math behind it.

There’s always been a suck it up, work your fingers to the bone mental undertone to the American psyche.  Unfortunately, throughout our history the wealthier have taken advantage of this virtue using it to coax the lower classes into shooting themselves in the foot from time to time fueled purely by bravado.

It’s a concept that initially describes logical and natural phenomenon or behavior and in its own right could be considered a virtue. It’s a piece of wisdom not unlike Ockham’s razor or “Form follows function”. Yet, when it’s just taken at face value by a somewhat confrontational culture it quickly become synonymous with laziness or being cowardly.

But if one steps into what I shall call that rare second level of consciousness, which is the seemingly super human ability to stop and think about a topic for a minute, look at it from a few angles, shake it around, give it a quick sniff and a lick, one will realize a few things.

The path of least resistance may not be the easiest depending on ones temperament. It may not even be easy what so ever.

The PLR or easier path isn’t always that easy to see. Sometimes it’s a total pain in the ass in the present but a boon for the long run.

For the most part it’s not a lure to laziness or an easy way out but simply the logical thing to do.

Like a river, resistance it’s to be avoided, for you may find yourself turbulent with in and throughout. One must flow with gravity and shape the landscape to get to their respective sea.  Now gravity isn’t to be mistaken for something that deters or keeps one down, it is in fact ones intent, ones fate perhaps.  And though one may have to cut canyons, level forests and flood the plains to become the endless river life flow, it still following the path of least resistance.

Now considering this all, the path of least resistance is the correct path, for when one looks down the road a good distance it becomes easy to see why many often get confused.

For example, there are those who want to cut the government’s budget with a light saber down to the ground to get the country out of debt. Now that might seem logical to some.  Stop spending, done deal.  Some might say the administration is taking the PLR by avoiding tough decisions and confronting the public.  Yet, if you shut the engine down how will you ever get back to speed?  One can not, not pay for society and expect it to miraculously rebound.  A slow methodical and often tedious plan of action is often the path that gets you though the forest without falling off a cliff or being digested by a grizzly.  Often enough though it may not look it to be, it is also the fastest route.

How many examples can you think of where someone tried to cut corners and later ended up in a snag or total FUBAR that then cost more time, money and or mental anguish than it should have.  All are examples of a misidentification of the PLR.

So how do we identify the path of least resistance?  Could there be a formula?

Physical exertion + mental anguish + physical/ monetary expense = “C” as in cost

Emotional, physical/ monetary gain = “P” as in payoff

“F” Amount of loss suffered in failure

“Y’ percentage increase (multiply) or decrease (divide) in failure possible from variables characteristic of  the specific path.

“X” Percentage of C taken out of this specific path from the perceived total C needed to do an optimal job at reaching your goal.

P- {(C-X) + FY} = Path Score

So there would be an equation for each option or path you’re looking at.

Of course one is going to have to have some imagination and at the same time be realistic to quantify these values.

ie.  Ok, so your team is in the Super Bowl and you a huge fan, I mean total fanatic, more like disciple.  Your buddy has a connection for the tickets. The only problem is that your wife’s sister is getting married that day.  Your equation might look like this.

• Super bowl tickets – {(3000.00 & wife’s contempt) + your team losing = sad/great weekend and cold shoulder

• Super bowl tickets – {(3000.00 & wife’s contempt – contempt by coming up with lie) + wife’s rage x .20= sad/great weekend possible week on couch and emotional and monetary cost of a lot of ass kissing.

• Not angering the Mrs. and watching it recorded. – {(Shame and possible disappointment at missing the chance to see your team win the championship in person – wear a head set and hand held TV) – 3000.00 wife’s rage/ .30 chance of wife catching you or some idiot telling you the score on accident = A really hellish day where you will resent your wife and her family for the rest of our days and have the game totally ruined for you.

• Buy two tickets and bring wife – {(6000.00 & mockery) + sharing the disdain from in-laws x .90 eventually you will blab about the game OR you’re wife says no and now knows what you’re up to.} = Have a great weekend with the wife win or lose and face possible crap from in-laws OR have wife turn on you and magnify cost of going emotionally and monetarily.

Now one just has to pick their poison.  If just going to the wedding the path of least resistance or will you’re self hatred and contempt for your wife and her family have much more of an emotional cost for the years to come?

Congrats if you managed to read that whole word problem there.  I hope that illustrates the complexity of the PLR and how it should be valued in society not vilified.

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