Reflections 21st January

Less DA, more OO

Lego Bonsai

In a conversation with Johnnie Moore this week, we ended up talking about the OODA loop, John Boyd’s model for dealing with uncertainty (Observe, Orient, Decide, Act). I value it as a framework that supports all the other aspects of systems thinking in a way that enables some form of coherence. The trouble is, like any model, it is too easy to abuse, to think linearly and “efficiently” in order to be “productive”. Go round the loop, bish, bash, bosh, and go for coffee. Job done.

In one of those pauses that are a feature of conversations with Johnnie, he mused, “Less DA, more OO”. The thought stayed with me until it emerged later as I found myself wondering why we get so wound up by the perils of ultra-processed food but much less so about ultra-processed knowledge.

For most of our existence, keeping knowledge fresh was an important task. In addition to storing it in books, we had to take it out on a regular basis to find the part we needed and, in using it, refresh it. Knowl…