|
Carl Mayer - The Pile TheoryWhen our daughter Lisl, who is now a sixth grade math teacher in Austin, Texas, graduated from Rhinebeck High School in 1991, I was honored by being asked to be the graduation speaker. During the speech, I explained my "Pile Theory", which may be of interest to some of you. The following are excerpts from that speech.
... I would like to tell you quickly about EFFICIENCY and its cousin, ENTROPY, because I believe an understanding of these two concepts will affect your future lifestyle. Efficiency is easy to understand. Efficiency is how much you get out, compared to what you put in. If you bake a batch of cupcakes, but you spill some dough or burn a few of them, you will be less than 100% efficient, because of the waste. Obviously, the less waste, the higher the efficiency, the better. But there will always be some waste. So the goal is to keep the amount of waste to a minimum.
The waste, in general, is called Entropy, or disorder. In physics we have a law, called the "Law of Entropy," which states "In any process, the amount of entropy (or disorder) increases." Anytime we make something organized, something orderly, like a cupcake, a piece of furniture, or even when we raise a child, this organized thing or being is being put together by creating even more disorder in the environment.
It is our job to minimize the amount of disorder, which is inevitably formed. I believe at the end of our stay on earth our accomplishments will be compared with the amount of materials we consumed and the amount of waste we generated during our lifetime. I believe that our life's worth will be measured by the mathematical ratio...
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Life's Worth = -----------------------------
MATERIALS CONSUMED
To maximize the value of this ration, we obviously want to accomplish as many good things as possible. But, on the other hand, we want to try to keep the pile of materials consumed as small as possible.
Can you imagine the pile that is awaiting you already, starting with your diapers (I feel sorry for those of you whose mother used disposable diapers!), the toys that were thrown out, all the food you ate during your 14 years of growing up, the sneakers, the clothing, the reams of Spanish tests, your science notebooks, textbooks, bikes, the soccer balls you ruined by leaving them out in the rain...?
Now you understand why I ride my bike. To make sure our family car winds upon my wife's pile, I drive it only on Sundays and when she tells me to drive. It is her car - it will wind up on her pile. But my wife is also worried about having too many cars on her pile. For example, she could have bought herself a new wagon when our last engine went, but she settled for a rebuilt engine. As a result there is one less car on her pile.
A number of parents give their children a car as graduation present. But do you think I want my children's piles to be weighted down by two tons of chrome and steel? No way! So you see, I don't give them a car, because I love them - because I am worried about their pile. Also, we could hardly afford it.... Let me summarize this entropy idea: Use the materials you have wisely. Try to do the most good with your resources. When you are done with a tool or book, pass it on to someone who can use it. Try to keep your pile small. By the way, there is one thing I can't figure out: If one person writes on one side of a sheet of paper, and someone else writes on the backside, on who's pile does it wind up? Who will get stuck with it? Obviously, recycling solves our dilemma: Someone else will use it last - will get it on his pile.
I would like to close with a few suggestions that will certainly make your life more enjoyable and worthwhile:
1. Be honest with yourself and others. If you are honest, you don't have to waste psychic energy to cover up or hide the lies.
2. Do the right thing, not the convenient one.
3. Be thankful every day for the gift of life. If you took biology, you realize how lucky we are to be alive. It is a miracle. Keep your body and mind in good shape, it is the only set you are going to get.
4. Try to strive toward perfection. Instead of asking yourself "Is this good enough?" say "How can I do it better?"
5. Get in the habit of putting things away, where they belong. Many people waste lots of time looking for items, like keys or papers that they have misplaced.
In conclusion, I wish you the insight to find the purpose of your stay on earth, and the health and energy necessary to pursue that goal.
In the words of Henry Adams: "Affect Eternity!"