This reminds me of a dialogue from Gregory Bateson's Steps Toward an Ecology of Mind: Daughter: Daddy, why do things get in a muddle? Father: What do you mean?

This reminds me of a dialogue from Gregory Bateson's Steps Toward an Ecology of Mind: Daughter: Daddy, why do things get in a muddle? Father: What do you mean? Things? Muddle? D: Well, people spend a lot of time tidying things, but they never seem to spend time muddling them. Things just seem to get in a muddle by themselves. And then people have to tidy them up again. F: But do your things get in a muddle if you don’t touch them? D: No—not if nobody touches them. But if you touch them—or if anybody touches them—they get in a muddle and it’s a worse muddle if it isn’t me. F: Yes—that’s why I try to keep you from touching the things on my desk. Because my things get in a worse muddle if they are touched by somebody who isn’t me. D: But do people always muddle other people’s things? Why do they, Daddy? F: Now, wait a minute. It’s not so simple. First of all, what do you mean by a muddle? D: I mean—so I can’t find things, and so it looks all muddled up. The way it is when nothing is straight F: Well, but are you sure you mean the same thing by muddle that anybody else would mean? D: But, Daddy, I’m sure I do—because I’m not a very tidy person and if I say things are in a muddle, then I’m sure everybody else would agree with me. F: All right—but do you think you mean the same thing by “tidy” that. other people would? If your mummy makes your things tidy, do you know where to find them? D: Hmm… sometimes—because, you see, I know where she puts things when she tidies up F: Yes, I try to keep her away from tidying my desk, too. I’m sure that she and I don’t mean the same thing by “tidy.” D: Daddy, do you and I mean the same thing by “tidy?” F: I doubt it, my dear—I doubt it.