Occam's Razor

Have you heard of Occam” razor: the simplest solution is always, or usually, correct. Or more precisely that the answer that requires the fewest assumptions is always correct.

Observation of the human condition, archetypes in story telling and a worldview that rings true are all part of creating a compelling story.

KISS, keep it simple stupid is applicable in this illustration, arising from the observations of my ever churning mind.

Complexity is the enemy. Let me take some real world examples and show how they can be used as parts of a seemingly complex story but arise from very simple evaluations of, what the heck is going on.

Lady Gaga, so popular. I heard her song “Poker Face” the other day and thought; ‘Man, I haven’t heard her songs in a while. And I haven’t even heard her in the news/TV circuit in like forever.’

Let’s apply Occam’s Razor. Lady Gaga was a big proponent of smoking pot. She claimed it spurred her creativity, etc.. Then I heard she changed her views on pot.

Boom! She dropped from media stardom. News reports have just mentioned her new album. We will see what transpires.

Gregory Mannarino is a stock guy who keeps pointing out that the job participation numbers are lower than during the Obama years, raising an alert as to the strength of our economy.

I hear on the radio from a local talk show guy, and my friend who is continually pushed into overtime has told me that people’s inability to pass a drug test keep them from being hired.

We have a political party that is continually promoting the legalization of pot.

So job participation numbers could be much higher if not for the dominance of drug use in society, because the jobs are there. I see and hear of help wanted everywhere.

So surrounding pot I have just linked, the media, celebrity, politics, the common working man,high finance and the health of the economy.

Why doesn’t Gregory Mannarino mention the drug issue in regards to jobs?

A question. A mystery?

All from a simple line of observations with a common thread.

You create characters with everyday interests in varying aspects of the issue, with competing viewpoints, unintended but understandable crossings of fate and a compelling story can be spun.

Let me get Biblical to explain why simple works.

The fall of man. The forbidden fruit. What is it. In my faith it is in simplest terms a love triangle. Adam and Eve did cover their lower parts. Apply Occam’s Razor.

Not the leading theory on the fall but not unheard of in the Judeo/Christian world.

Isn’t the love triangle the most heart wrenching of stories? Is it that difficult to understand? Is it simple?

You can even see it coming, yet these stories grip the imaginations over and over. Because they connect to so many people in an almost infinite variety of ways. The emotional imagination runs wild.

Engaging the imagination is key to a good story. Being too graphic or too much detail is a mistake. It is the reader’s imagination that makes a story great. Significant and telling details are necessary, but not every detail should be spelled out.

Personally, I cannot tolerate such heart wrenching stories. They are too tragic, disturbing, for me.

Then there is the unseen connections. Your character is very altruistic, kind, sacrifices for the greater good yet is despised and suffers misfortune.

To get Biblical again, the sins of the father’s coming down upon their children: Occam’s Razor. An unseen negative energy being poured upon a character.

Yet when the details come out it is easy to understand.

Another mystery, that turns out not so mysterious.

Uncovering all that is hidden, step by step, is the adventure. And when everything is exposed it may appear obvious, simple, but that is what rings true.

It is like riddle’s people play with that appear impossible to answer, but when the riddle is revealed, it is so obvious people laugh at themselves for not being able to figure out.

Now, if the reader can’t or simply won’t accept what has been revealed…


Thank you for reading.