Entropy, the universal force. The arrow of time.
As humans, most of our time on Earth is spent building new things and subsequently trying to defend our creations against inevitable decay.
The most obvious example? Our health. We grew into the person we inhabit today, a ‘self’ which demands continual and sustained maintenance.
We’re aware, if not comfortable with the fact, that as we age, our muscles will become weak, our bones brittle and our organs inefficient.
Taking action today, by attending overly-enthusiastic spin classes and slurping organic beetroot juice won’t inoculate us against the inevitable…
But it will slow the process, extending our time on this little globe and improving its quality.
Likewise, some time must be spent consciously building other facets of our existence.
Whether that’s forging new friendships, picking the perfect partner or building the next global business.
This mentality of shaping and moulding our environment seems innate, psychologically incentivised by cravings and neurochemical rewards.
We’re a species driven by progress, momentum and ultimately, growth. Without such characteristics, our cultural or scientific accomplishments surely wouldn’t amount to much.
But there comes a time when our creations must eventually be consolidated, lest they fall into disrepair.
Just consider the friendships we’ve built that suffer from the accumulation of more superficial connections. Or the businesses that falter when we agree to yet another superfluous project.
,
After all, our energy reserves are limited and the allocation of our finite resources against the entropic march, vital.
In a world that celebrates the cult of more, this can sometimes seem like a demoralising struggle.
Everywhere we turn, we’re told to desire, and indeed demand, more from life.
But if we succumb to such cultural conditioning and spread ourselves too thin, that which we value most surely crumbles.
Perhaps this explains the recent minimalist renaissance and its raft of vocal advocates.
By narrowing our attention and calming our frayed nerves, they contend, we can restore order in previously chaotic lives, developing a sense of control and purpose.
While experimentation is essential, especially in our formative years, so too must we learn to invest deeply in parts of our lives we wish to nourish, actively keeping the weeds at bay.
In so doing, we can defy entropy, at least for a little while.
