A Straight Line
We’ve all heard the adage that “a straight line is the shortest distance between two points.” If we’re headed to a local store we plan the most efficient route. If the store is two miles away, we’re not likely to travel there by way of Las Vegas (unless we’re already in Las Vegas).
In choosing how to use our time and energy we aim to be efficient. We pick the lowest hanging oranges first. We choose the shortest line at the grocery store, or the gas station. If we move to Los Angeles from San Francisco we find local doctors and other convenient service providers.
There is good reason for this. By being linear (efficient), we conserve time and energy. We seek the “maximum bang for our time and energy buck.”
Just as our supply of money is finite and must be allocated, our supply of time and energy are also limited. I think about this whenever I want to see a major sporting event.
This year, my son and I bought season tickets for the Los Angeles Rams home games. Of the nine or ten home games, we attended only two. We watched the rest on television. You’ve probably noticed that, when you watch football at home, at the end of the game you’re already home. I once had to wait almost two hours just to get out of a parking lot at the Los Angeles Coliseum. At home the hot dogs don’t cost ten dollars each. And the bathrooms are always clean. You don’t have to wait in a line for anything. You also get instant replays and expert commentary.
As for the unused tickets? They were given to others who might enjoy the experience more than me (and if any were unused – the sunk-cost theory covers any remorse).
My blog is always between 200 and 600 words. I figure if it’s short you’re willing to spend a few minutes with it. But I’m not going to try to hold your attention for half an hour. A TV reporter told me that a typical TV news story used to average about three minutes, but that reporters are now encouraged to keep their stories to under one minute.
However, I think we also go for quality. How short was your longest kiss?
Well, efficiency isn’t everything. Sometimes we just want to take the scenic route.
Alan