Of Logistics

Frustration comes from obsession and expectations, or so I have learned throughout these years. And it seems I can only breath and inhale my objects of study when I end up giving up on everything else. And then when I find myself satisfyingly concentrated, I find it frustrating and annoying to do pretty much every other thing. I'm becoming obnoxiously stubborn, is what I'm trying to say here.

One of these days my father wanted my help to make some cement to fix something, and I begrudgingly agreed to do so. But as it went, I learned to enjoy the task, mixing the sand with crushed stones and cement and then being careful not to let water spill out, as we didn't have a box to make the mixture. It turns out I enjoyed the time by learning the logistics of cement-making.

As I've learned, everything is surrounded by logistics, elements and subtleties unique to their own. And one who pays attention to all these unique characteristics can make use of it to improve efficiency in the making of the task. One has to be aware of the force of physics, for example, when doing most physical tasks. This is pretty much science, actually.

Also, Logistics can be used to people. And before some lot says that people aren't objects to be studied, that's the point. Subjective skills deal with logistics pretty much entirely different from objective skills, that's what logistics are all about. And that's not to be manipulative as some people like to react when they see other people trying to improve their social skills.

Analogies help me fight the mindtrap known to me as Jack of All Trades (from the saying "Jack of All Trades, Master of None", and I like seeing it as a joker-like enemy). Basically, analogies help me intertwine all skills into One Skill To Rule Them All. But Logistics are also important for that, as analogies have a limited range of action. And Logistics are pretty much the opposite of analogies, they are what can't be analogized. So I can, for example, study all that makes drawing an entirely different skill than writing (writing is sequential, for instance, and a picture has no linear, no set order of appreciation, it can be something whole and instantaneous, like an emotional response in contrast to a logical thought).

It takes developed observation skills to realize the logistics and all the unique characteristics, and that is good for creativity, as being aware of sub-pre-unconscious/automatic rules/vices it's easier to break them. When musicians tell us to "explore the instrument" they mean just that, exploring the way you can interact with the strings of your guitar, and which sounds you can create with different strokes (pinch harmonics is one nice example of exploring the logistics of your guitar).

And I can only think of this being used to everything, which can improve quality too. It's all about the challenge that is to make unique strategies to overcome the unique case in your hand. For example video game controller designers must take in consideration all the elements to create the best joystick.Logistics are all about the obvious: hands hold the joysticks, all different kind of hands, and as entertainment it must be something comfortable; and games usually put players into adrenaline which can make their hands sweat, so the plastic can't be slippy; games require quick reflexes, so buttons have to be easily accesible (which is something obvious but N64 joystick designers didn't remember) and it goes on as I don't work in a joystick company or whatever.

This is what happens when you both do and don't take logistics seriously.

This concept, like most, has some storytelling potential. I remember when I had a professor making an analysis of some Shakesperian play, and he would say how Shakespeare always had in mind what his audience was thinking. For example, at the beginning, he would explore the audience's lack of information about the play. They didn't know who were those characters on the stage, or the place they were supposed to be in the story, and he'd slip these pieces of information with sublety in the dialogues. This way he'd hold the interest of his audience, as he would bring in a mysterious new character, a new doubt, thus making the revelation more engaging. Nowadays we are to enter in a history knowing only its title and some cover/poster. Actually, the logistics are more complicated than that because internet increased the chance of us meeting spoilers (not necessarily the negative plot or ending-revealer) which differ the audience in the degree of information about the story (or degree of exposure to paratext). In fact, there must be thousands of elements composing the logistics of storytelling. But, most importantly, the different mediums have logistics of their own that must not be ignored. For example, a storyteller shouldn't try to fool the readers the story is about to end when they hold the book in their hands and see there are some two hundred pages left, but he can try to do that with games, where the length of the story isn't predictable (though the common disk storage usually serve as a hint - but then again, different degree of information). So I find it really, really interesting how different mediums and their different logistics interfere with how a story can be told. In fact, that can be used to one's own favor, such as jokes breaking the fourth wall, and tricks to increase identification with the audience. For example, a character says: "isn't it too soon for this story to be over?".

Logistics are also an extension of Tasting, Breathing/Inhaling and Gamification, as I see reward in every simple task and by doing it efficiently, being focused in how I work with it and all. So every task becomes something to learn, such as ironing the clothes, taking photographs, driving (balancing the gas pedal with the clutch pedal as to change gears as smoothly as possible, or the place to hold the wheel to make it spin more with one hand only and then turning back by letting the wheel slip controllably under your hand, a technique faster and less clumsy than try to spin it little by little desperately with both hands). Even when I don't realy care about the task I have to do, I can improve my observation skills when interacting with the logistics of the task.

So, to make a conclusion, yes, of course Logistic was readily accepted in the brethren (some of the other veteran ideas are jealous of its quick ascension and popularity). Logistics and Nuclearity are like sworn brothers already, and those two friends take a huge role in my most fundamental principles, from development and diversity, to willingness and good humor.