Monday, October 3, 2016

The Obsession With The Best

A common kind of question I've been encountering now a days is "What is the best X for task Y?". This is encouraging at first sight since it conveys an intent of the questioner in the direction of wanting to complete task Y.

This desire to do some task, however weak or strong, is in itself a commendable achievement. However, the question reveals a deeper problem within the seeker's mind. They have equated the best tools with the best results. It is a classic case of "A good workman does not blame his tools" emerging as a bad workman depends only on his tools.

Instead of focusing on what tool is best for a job, a person should rather be concerned with what is the bare minimum needed to get started with the task. With learning comes the understanding that some tool X is good for task Y only when person Z is using it. It's probably useless in your hands.