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On the other hand, I’ve found people repeating the KISS mantra without even bothering to apply their intelligence to the problem, and come up with a more complex solution that may also be better than the simple one. It’s a form of belief system to these people, and one that will not be challenged.

I suppose that’s because solving every problem with simple solutions gives people comfort. They get the feeling that they know what they’re doing, that they’re in control, and that there’s no seven-headed monster of ambiguity lurking in the shadows.

In other words, simple solutions are more attractive. Stating a belief that the truth is simple then sounds suspiciously like saying that the simple truth is more attractive than the complex alternatives, and thus the one that’s easiest to believe in.

The truth is hardly ever simple.

It may be that we’ve chosen a simple model of the truth to believe in – an edited truth, one that cuts away all the complexity and leaves a core that’s still accurate enough to be applicable in most situations. But don’t confuse that for the full, unedited truth.

And, more importantly, don’t try to lure people into believing your arguments by pandering to their desire for simple truths.

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