Book2. In Pursuit of Elegance: Why the Best Ideas Have Something Missing (Matthew E. May)

Elegance is the harmony that we need in everyday life to feel satisfied and in the ancient greek world, to refer to harmony it is used the term symmetry, seen like numerical proporstion between spatial elements.

It is later on that the concept of symmetry as a proportion gets the meaning referring to the regulation and disposition of the same elements in space.

Seduction, subtraction, symmetry and sustainability are the keys of elegance in « In Pursuit of Elegance: Why the Best Ideas Have Something Missing », written by Matthew E. May.

In his theory the brain searches for patterns and balance and once they are found is completly satisfied.

"Symmetry" it is needed because it is the best way to find solutions about structures and order ; "seduction" it is needed because makes the solution more creative ;"subtraction" it is potentially usefull for all that concerns solving economic problems and
"sustainability" is the only way to have something that will last in time and will be repeatable.
Given this, to have the ability to use seduction, subtraction, symmetry and sustainability, in the correct way, it is the best way to achieve objectives, because it helps our brain to get what is needed in order to be satisfied.

So it is said that trying to achieve elegant solution is done by removing things, rather than to had them, so that the brain, searching for the perfection given by simmetry, is captured.

That is why a game like sudoku is so adictive, because it gives satisfaction to fill all the spaces and make it balanced and precise.

So if something that is not really essential is removed, this can take the attention, making the person focus on what is remaining to find the best solution to complete the scene, and what was there will then stay fixed in mind,

This can be applied to all sort of life process.

May examines different fields ranging from physics and marketing to design and popular culture.

Thinking of art many artist use a method based on calculating the proportions to give harmony and balance to their work.

Kandinsky used to say that all forms, natural or artificial as they may bee, are the manifestation of a significant reality, tension between forces, and that to try to understand them it is necessaire to study theyr invisible background.

As Leni Reifenstahl said... « I am fascinated by what is beautiful, strong, healthy, what is living. I seek harmony »