I just stumbled across a long multi-party rant against Steven Den Best’s anti-email post. I now feel a bit guilty having done something similar myself. What struck me most, however, was the shallowness of the criticism. I’d like to see one of these guys try to fisk one of SDB’s posts (and you have to pick one of his central themes – I’m sure that he has a few fiskable posts)!
My point earlier was that SDB wanted to have it both ways – that he wanted, but didn’t want, people to email him – and that that’s simply not possible (I hope, though, that that post did cut out some of the chaff). But I totally understand his problem. Anyone in his situation – getting hundreds of emails a day, that are not spam – would have to deal with this issue.
The problem is even worse than most of you can imagine, because SDB is a different kind of person from most of you. The Instapundit, for example, has to deal with the same issue, probably to an even greater degree. But I would wager that it takes much less of a toll on him.
You see, there are two kinds of thinkers – detail thinkers, and holistic thinkers. Or, to be more accurate, you can place a person’s thinking somewhere along a spectrum between very detail-oriented and very holistic. Detail thinkers organize their thoughts as a collection of direct relationships: this fact is related to this other fact. Holistic thinkers construct for themselves complex inner models in which they place their facts. So, while “holistic” may sound like a touchy-feely word, and few people may think of SDB as touchy-feely, SDB is definitely an holistic thinker.
And one of the characteristics of holistic thinkers, especially very strongly holistic thinkers like SDB, is an impatience with details. The reason for this, is that holistic thinkers have trouble with (or may be incapable of) quick processing. The Instapundit probably speeds though his emails, deciding with little effort whether or not they are worthy of his attention. SDB is probably incapable of doing this – and that’s his problem.
About three-quarters of the population are detail thinkers, one-quarter holistic thinkers. Very strongly holistic thinkers like SDB are a tiny minority. Being in this minority has its advantages and disadvantages. One of the disadvantages is that few people understand you.
Steven Den Beste has linked to me, I respond with Detail thinkers, Holistic thinkers - Part 2
This probably equates to a Meyers-Briggs "iNtuitive" (versus "Sensing") method of gathering information. Combine that with a "Thinking" (versus "Feeling") method of processing information, which seems likely. SDB seems like a typical NT (intuitive thinker) personality type. I'd guess INTJ ir INTP as a personality type on this scale, but it's hard to tell. I'm an INTP and can relate. Details are important, but don't need to be nit-picked unless they directly impact the concept at hand. Much of the e-mail Steven gets is probably aimed at clarifying the supporting details, which is of little interest to someone who is thinking in terms of the overal architecture of an argument.
Posted by: DC at May 7, 2004 03:57 AM Permalink