Is the line between two dots always straight?

“Success drawing” reminded me of a question on my entrance exam to diplomatcy of the former Yugoslavia. A member of the examination board pushed a paper across the table and asked me to connect two dots diplomatically. The absurdity of the question helped me to answer it “correctly”. “Straight lines” are simple visualisation of our rational and scientific approach to life and planning. The further we move from science to real life, the more the lines get bent. A new curve is formed in the line by each requirement of emotions and perceptions, institutional dynamics, and politics, to name a few. Recently, I discussed with colleagues limits of planning in social media projects. In social media, which, of course, is very “social”, the lines are rarely straight. The usefulness of planning is limited. At the same time, we have to plan, since the success of a social media campaign depends on a well-organised and sustained campaigns. It is paradoxical situation or yet another confirmatoin of Niels Bohr’s famous quote: Profound thruths are recongised by the fact that the opposite is also a profound truth, in contrast to trivialities where opposites are obviously absurd.

Link of original post