6. The Qualities That Build The Core Qualities (TQTBTCQs)
No, we’re not actually going to call them that, but that’s essentially what these are. Let’s call them… The Supporting Qualities, or TSQs.
To add another layer to this model, we’ll examine the characteristics that are logically and objectively necessary in any system in order to foster larger-scale increases in TCQs. These aren’t necessary to maintain TCQs, prevent their deterioration, or make improvements to existing strategies. Where they’re needed is specifically coming up with new strategies, approaches and principles. Let’s run through them quickly.
The most basic requirement is that a thing or system needs to be “generative” - it must be able to generate novel principles. This can be intentionally and strategically coming up with new principles, like inventing a new product, strategy, or idea, or it can be serendipitous, where new things are stumbled upon, like vulcanized rubber. They could also arise naturally and spontaneously, such as the mutation of genes.
These novel principles can be beneficial, detrimental, or neutral, but without the ability to generate anything new, TCQs cannot possibly be increased. That’s why being generative is fundamentally necessary.
The next feature is “discernment”. If a system or thing that is generating novel principles can’t weed out the bad new principles while keeping the good ones (and being neutral on the neutral ones), the system or thing is likely to build up an excess of bad principles - those that ultimately lead to a decrease in TCQs.
Third is “adaptability”. If something can’t change from one strategy or approach or using one kind of tool, etc., to a different one that would work better, then it doesn’t matter if it can generate new options and pick which ones are best, since it can’t take the next step of actually adopting them.
The fourth feature is “opportunistic”. Let’s say we're generating new strategies, approaches, and principles. We can discern the beneficial ones and we are capable of adopting them, but we haven’t yet! We need the next necessary step - actually adopting them. We could even go a little further - being opportunistic means actively seeking out opportunities for improvement and eagerly adopting them when they arise. This is sometimes called the “luck mindset”.
The fifth feature is derived from a term and concept in evolution called “exaptation.” Exaptation, in biology, is when a structure that evolved for one purpose was later co-opted to serve a different function. For example, feathers that allowed for flying are an exaptation from feathers that originally evolved for insulation and display purposes. Penguins’ flippers are a further exaptation from wings.
However, for an exaptation to occur, an organism, person, society, or thing must first possess characteristics that can be exapted. There’s no word for that, but “exaptable” seemed appropriate, so that’s what I’m calling this fourth feature.
While “adaptable” refers to the ability to change or adjust to meet changing needs or conditions, “exaptable” describes something that has existing traits that can be used in completely novel ways. While adaptation is a linear progression along a single track, exaptation is akin to jumping to a completely new track. TCQs are actually exaptable in and of themselves, since they originally evolved to aid survival, but then made the jump to things like music, art, spirituality, etc.
The sixth feature is “congruence”. This refers to things that have a good “fit”, are compatible, or are in agreement. Congruence is probably the most powerful shortcut to increasing TCQs.
Two people who are congruent are likely to form a relationship. A mutation that results in a physical change that makes a beak more congruent with cracking the seeds a bird eats, which naturally increases the qualities of efficiency, resourcefulness and, therefore, stability. A political party being more congruent with its constituents is more likely to be elected. A smartphone being more congruent with the needs of its users is more likely to be purchased and used. A scientific model that is more congruent with experimental evidence is more likely to be true.
Congruence doesn’t necessarily mean two things are the same. Two people who both need to be right wouldn’t be congruent, nor would two people who are indecisive. Conversely, if one person in a couple prefers sleeping on the right side of the bed and the other likes sleeping on the left side, they are congruent!
The next level up from congruence is when things are complementary. I believe this is more of a subcategory of congruence than a distinct feature. While congruence leads to an increase in TCQs between the two congruent things, things are complementary when they significantly enhance each other’s effectiveness beyond their own interaction.
If I enjoy chess, and someone else enjoys chess, we are congruent. However, we wouldn’t necessarily be able to team up against another chess player and be significantly better than we would be on our own, so we aren’t complementary in this area. We can’t manifest an increase in the TCQs outside our own relationship.
However, what if we both want to sell chessboards? If I'm great at finances, payroll, invoicing, etc., but I’m a terrible designer, marketer, and salesperson, then I can’t do that. If the other person is terrible at the former, but great at the latter, then they can’t either. But between the two of us, we have the total skill set necessary! Because we can accomplish something external to ourselves that we wouldn’t be able to do on our own, we are complementary.
The seventh feature I’m calling “roughness”. If you’ve ever painted or glued something, you know that it works better if the surfaces are a bit rough. In this context, it means that something has numerous opportunities for congruence. Something or someone that lacks roughness needs something else to have exactly the right qualities to be compatible.
For example, if someone only likes one kind of music, they need to find someone else who shares the same musical taste to be musically congruent. However, if someone enjoys a wide range of music styles, it will be relatively easy for them to find someone with whom they are musically compatible. A society with a lot of roughness would allow a diverse range of personalities to find a place in it.
And there we have it - generative, discerning, adaptable, exaptable, opportunistic, congruent, and rough are the supporting qualities that are necessary for something to significantly increase TCQs. Of course, the more TCQs a system has, the better able it will be to implement TSQs. It’s a virtuous cycle! Just another example of using logic to uncover how things must objectively work in reality. For another example, see the next section, where we take an objective and logical look at order and chaos to find that they can, in reality, work together.
