Laws of Subtraction

February 27, 2013

To attain knowledge add things every day. To attain wisdom, subtract things every day. Lao Tzu

Just finished reading Laws of Subtraction by Mathew May and it is one of the best reads on this subject I have ever come across. The book consists of 6 chapters which are based on 6 laws of subtraction from limiting information to constraints to how to break from normality and conformity.

Law 1: What isn’t there can often trump what is

This law is very well explained in this article about FedEx logo. The FexEx logo has won over 40 awards and has been rated as top 8 logo designs. Lindon Leader’s design is considered by many to be one of the most creative logos ever designed. Not because of what’s there but because of what isn’t. Lindon cleverly used the first law to give FedEx logo this subtle detail. Making it too obvious would have left it mundane. As per Lindon understatement is much more effective. Let’s see if you can find below what made FedEx logo so special. Sometimes subtraction is the best form of addition. Simplicity can add details which addition only subtracts.“When you remove just the right thing in just the right way, something good usually happens”. Mathew E.MayJapanese have this concept of “ma” which means empty or distance or blank…blankness. In Japanese music or theatre there is lot of silence. Even in daily conversation  there is lots of ma. This is completely in contract to our western need to have continuous talk and we tend to feel awkward with such silence  According to a course taught at Columbia university, “Ma is not something that is created by compositional elements  it is the thing that takes place in the imagination of the human who experiences these elements.”
And that is the whole point of the first law of subtraction.

Law 2: The simplest rules create the most effective experience

The law is self-explanatory, but some examples given for this law are the use of very simple traffic rules in the circle around Arc de Triumph in Paris and the Exhibition road project in London initiated during Olympics to create a new shared urban space. I personally observed this rule not only around Arc de Triumph, but also in countries like Pakistan, where traffic seems really chaotic, but the lack of strict rules or having very few ones, somehow makes the traffic flow. Complicated rules create confusion, waste time and often result in unwanted outcomes. Simplicity is universal and we can see it applied everywhere around us and that’s what we should strive for.

Law 3: Limiting information engages the imagination

“A true work of art is one whose imperfect beauty makes an artist of the viewer”. Soetsu Yanagi

“The best designers in the world all squint when they look at something. They squint to see the forest from the trees— to find the right balance. Squint at the world. You will see more, by seeing less.” John Maeda.

The two quotes from the book explained this law well. People from all walks of life have used this law to make their work shine. Less is more. It creates mystery, gives the control to the viewer/user, engages their curiosity and intrigues them.

Law 4: Creativity thrives under intelligent constraints

Sometimes to foster creativity all we need to do is to put some constraints. If you ask a group of people to write a poem on anything, it will take them time to figure out what they want to write on and might change their subject many time. By giving the same group of people clear constraints in terms of time, subject, size etc. will give engage their creativity and make them focus.

Law 5: Break is the important part of breakthrough

Break from conformity, normality and habit provides new direction, ideas and ultimately new breakthroughs. Sometimes all you need is to think out of the box, break the rules, bend the curves and you will carve yourself a new path.

Law 6: Doing something isn’t always better than doing nothing

“All men’s miseries derive from the inability to sit still in a quiet room alone”. Blaise Pascal

Tune out to zone in is the concept behind this law. Sometimes we spend days and weeks trying to figure out something, but in vain. We need to stop, refresh one’s mind, experience life and the solution will reveal itself. We can take strolls, drive, run, travel, meditate etc.

2013 is a year of subtraction and minimalism for me and this book surely gave me some good ideas how to accomplish this in all folds of life.