The Virtue of Simplicism

Bumper stickers—and their counterparts on social media—make Simplicism seem virtuous: “Look at me! I’m a good and brave person for distilling this complex issue down to its essence and righteously taking a public stand.” I make fun, but in truth I’m easy prey for Simplicism’s false offer of salvation.

I hate clutter. In moments of stress, I obsessively look for things I can throw in the trash. I even discarded my paycheck once and had to retrieve it from the dumpster. When someone promises to reveal a shortcut that gets me to my destination with minimal effort, I’m all in. When…