This week I see Life as an effort to balance form, function, discipline, indulgence.

1. Form: The manner or style of arranging and coordinating parts for a pleasing or effective result. Due or proper shape; orderly arrangement of parts. The structure, pattern, organization, or essential nature of anything.
2. Function: The kind of action or activity proper to a person, thing, or institution.
3. Discipline: An activity, exercise, or regimen that develops or improves a skill. The rigor or training effect of experience. Behavior in accord with rules of conduct. Well-considered action or observation.
4. Indulgence: The act or practice of yielding to an inclination or desire.

(Definitions from dictionary.com).

Louis Sullivan said, “Form follows function.” Frank Lloyd Wright said, “Form and function should be one, joined in a spiritual union.” I think I might argue that (ideally) form and function should be one but function should (and more often does) take the lead. I would also maintain that more times than not, indulgence guides discipline; and (again, ideally) discipline and indulgence should be one. But because we are an imperfect species, we will continue to live (in both cases) this natural progression.

Furthermore, from form comes peace or disorder. From function comes purpose or insignificance. From discipline comes reason or fear. From indulgence comes passion or cruelty. Peace will lead one closer to Beauty, disorder to Bureaucracy. Purpose will lead one closer to Truth, insignificance to Convention. Reason will lead one closer to Wisdom, fear to Certainty. Passion will lead one closer to Justice, cruelty to Division. In addition it is logical that Beauty follows Truth and Justice guides Wisdom. And it is logical that Bureaucracy follows Convention and Division guides Certainty. And from there we can further bridge the gaps by studying the thoughtfulness of purpose, the fear of insignificance, the wisdom of truth and the certainty of convention. This is a lot to take in. I would like to disentangle and examine more closely.

Why peace from form? “A pleasing or effective result.” “Due or proper shape; orderly arrangement.” “Essential nature.” These pieces of the definition indicate order and (in my mind) create a calm; a peace. On the other end if these qualities are lacking, there is disorder. And because we instinctively desire order, overwhelming disorder leads us to create a cumbersome and equally chaotic bureaucracy. Whereas the peace found in even a remnant of essentiality brings us around to recognize and actively appreciate the inherent beauty of proper form. So why is form (i.e. Beauty) often subjective? I believe that comes from one's remaining balance of function, discipline and indulgence. As an example, those who subjectively claim beauty in bureaucracy, the geometry of rules, are following the certainty of convention as guided by the cruelty of division. In other words perhaps Beauty is not subjective; perhaps it is misinterpreted by one’s balance of function, discipline, and/or indulgence. If we could meld form and function into one, and likewise with discipline and indulgence, perhaps we would come closer to the Ideal: Beauty, Truth, Wisdom, Justice.

Why purpose from function? Perhaps it is more obvious, a more direct connection to its definition, but one's perceived function or purpose moves beyond itself by creating meaning and providing direction for all other elements. As a human individual, admittedly or not, there is doubt, uncertainty, thoughts of insignificance. And if these thoughts lead to a dominant fear, then one's wisdom and truth can become a certainty entrenched in convention. Convention can be dogma, ritual, doctrine, or simple conformity, loyalty to a state or nation, family, work or social group, religion, ideology, or tradition; anything that provides a pre-packaged, customizable (within parameters) life experience replete with meaning. Much easier to be told than to think. Much easier to belong than to be ostracized. Much easier to be defined than to define oneself. Much easier to accept a truth than to fall short of Truth.

Why reason from discipline? To reason requires discipline. To reason from fact, or from consensus or expert opinion requires greater discipline. To reason from belief based on convention (even seeming consensus convention) is to build on shifting sand. And this is another example of the influence of function or purpose. If one’s purpose is a search for Truth, then discipline ultimately results in a greater wisdom. If however, one’s purpose is to perpetuate convention as driven by one’s fear of insignificance, then discipline becomes a rigorous, regimented certainty; on shifting sand.

Why passion from indulgence? Passion as intensity or fervor reflects an integral and many would argue essential part of one’s Humanity, and from indulgence naturally flows strong often conflicting feelings. So we are faced with choices. To focus indulgence on the inclinations and desires of all Humanity as one, is to move toward greater justice. But not held in check one’s more selfish inclinations and desires can easily transform passion into wanton disregard for others. Be it from overt prejudice, more subtle bias, nationalism, politics, today’s wealth gap, or any number of other entrenched beliefs and behaviors that serve as the first dividers and divisions, the inability of an individual to move beyond oneself or one’s cohort and to understand Humanity as one is the pivot point where passion becomes cruelty and division becomes or remains the norm.

Beauty. Truth. Wisdom. Justice.

It is much easier to pretend to be happy with division, certainty, convention, bureaucracy.