There are entities.
Entities comprise of entities.
And entities comprise entities.
An entity is different to entities it is comprised of.
An entity is different to entity is comprises.
Is it much different?
Depends on scale.
Depends on co-dependence.
It can be very similar,
It can be very dissimilar,
Since entity comprising many many entities is by definition far far larger — that alone is a differentiating attribute. So that’s dissimilar,
But then again it can have many similar characteristics,
The “parent” entity can share values with the “child” sub-entities, or it can NOT share values at all, and yet still comprise of those sub-entities
Why does it matter?
Because it can be confusing with WHAT entity you are dealing with.
Are you dealing with the child-entity? Sub-entity?
Or are you dealing with the parent-entity? Macro-entity?
As an example:
You think you’re dealing with a human but you’re dealing with an organisation — and it’s rules, it’s bureaucracy, it’s procedures and protocols, and it’s goals
Or maybe you think you’re dealing with an organisation, which has a particular purpose and goal — but really you’re dealing with just an individual
Or you think you’re speaking to a person — but really you’re speaking to a projection of the group to which they belong.
Or again you think you’re dealing with a particular group which espouses particular beliefs and represents particular values — but you’re actually meeting a real person with real nuanced life-experience and Weltanschauung.
What happens when you confuse the entities you’re dealing with?
You obviously deal with them inadequately. Which means you fail.
You fail.
You think an organisation cannot be uncivilised. You think an organisation is organised. No. It doesn’t have to be. Perhaps it’s barbaric and primitive like an animal — and knows only the language of violence — and must be spoken to in that language.
You think an individual in front of you is not irrational. Or not EVIL. Except it doesn’t matter. Because you’re not dealing with him. He is but a medium of his organisation. Address the organisation, or fail.
You think a business whose members you don’t respect and disagree with — you think that business has no future. No. Not necessarily. The whole entity is different to the entities it comprises of.
You think the system is unjust and unfair. You think this means that it is evil. No. It can actually do more good than harm. EVEN if it’s imperfect. See the bigger picture.
You think this member of this prestigious club shares the great qualities that this prestigious club represents. No. Perhaps he’s just a bum.
Don’t forget it
Always ask:
WHAT ENTITY AM I DEALING WITH?
and again: sometimes you will be dealing with MANY different entities at once. And you will have to remain cognisant of what you are trying to achieve and how to negotiate this common ground between all those different entities and sub-entities involved.
You have to be intelligent about it and cool,
You have to be intelligent and deal with the situation as it actually is — without reverting to facile generalisations and moral judgements,
You have to see beyond mere appearances and appreciate the real goals of the TRUE entities you are dealing with,
Entities
Must start thinking in terms of entities