Issue 225

TOPIC: ISSUE225 - "People often look for similarities, even between very different things, and even when it is unhelpful or harmful to do so. Instead, a thing should be considered on its own terms; we should avoid the tendency to compare it to something else."

WORDS: 531 TIME: 00:41:27 DATE: 2008-3-26 13:54:01

Whether people should consider one special thing separately or connect this thing with other matter related to this thing, depends primarily on what realm the problem belongs to. In some areas, especially physical sciences, we can benefit from observing natural things from various perspectives. In some other areas, particularly sociopolitical life, it is harmful to connect everything that one might encounter. In still other areas, such as business, whether we should consider questions along with any question else varies from case to case.

To begin with, in the sciences we have to think as many related problems as we can, or we may arrive at a imprecise, even false, conclusion. As we know, all the matter in the universe is related together to some extend. It is impossible to separate the whole object that scientists investigate into several differing and isolated components. For instance, Albert Einstein, a prominent theoretical scientist, worked out the theory of relativity on the foundation of classical theory brought up by Newton. Watson and Crick, the discoverer of DNA, contributed their Noble Prize to achievements made by former chemists. Therefore, people can stand to gain in a variety of thing when they connect objects they study with other things that have already proven to be true.

However, in the realm of social and political issues, it is often harmful to consider several things together. The more we consider, the worse circumstance we may bog down in. For instance, a chancellor in a high school located in my town was sentenced to prison in respect that he misused school fund to build his private house. People in our town ardently discussed every development in the scandal. Besides, the principals of all the other schools in my town were assumed to have abused their rights granted by the masses, and these principals were put in doubt though they were demonstrated to be good citizens and effective leaders. Therefore, neither did the leaders benefit from this scandal, nor the masses actually gained much from their extensive considerations. In effect, we indeed should not connect everything together in societal life.

In the area of business, in some cases we should avoid to compare an activity to another, while in some other cases comparing a thing with similar ones can result in better understanding of business. Consider on the one hand the Apple computer company has manufactured a new product, called Mac Book Air, for the multitudes recently, while at the same time Lenovo also brings their best computer, called ThinkPad X300. Albeit Apple and Lenovo are adversaries in computer market, comparison between these two kinds of computers does not benefit us. In effect, Apple's computer is better suitable for drawing, while Lenovo's commodity is good at numeration. Therefore, comparison between them makes no sense. On the other hand, consider the operating system of Windows and Linux. Both of them have learned much, such as convenience, designing thought, and interfaces with humans, from each other. We ordinary people indeed benefit from this kind of comparing relationship.

In summary, the arguer overlooks many cases in which comparison benefits us. Nevertheless, in social and political activities, we should not connect a thing with another.