Names to remember, rules to live by. I’ve written about this topic before, but it’s time for a second edition. Trust me, you’ll want to remember these eponymous rules:
Collingridge’s Dilemma
Ponder this one the next time you use AI: “Technology can only be regulated well if its impacts are known, but once technology’s impacts are known it is often too late to be regulated.”
Hayflick Limit
Think your biohacking, HIIT (high intensity interval training), and keto diet will help you live forever? Perhaps even on Mars (if you’re a billionaire)? Well, think again. The Hayflick Limit states that human cells have a lifespan, a limited number of cellular divisions.
Kitman’s Law
As influencers strive to stand out on increasingly crowded online platforms/forums, many are heeding Kitman’s Law, which states: “Pure drivel tends to drive away ordinary drivel.” (Note: Drivel is used here in place of more colorful/commonly used synonyms.)
Zeigler’s Law
As posited by author/satirist, Jon F. Zeigler, this one may strike a chord: “If a politician says that government is a problem, what he means is: If you elect him, government will be a problem.”
Sinclair’s Law
“It is difficult to get a person to understand something, when his/her salary depends upon not understanding it.” Named after Upton Sinclair, this law will be familiar to anyone who has tried to talk to a real estate agent about Burnett et al v. National Association of Realtors et al when negotiating the agent’s commission.
Augustine’s Law
First postulated in 1984 by former Undersecretary of the Army, Norman Augustine, these laws poke fun at the US military industrial complex. His most famous law, #16, is: “Defense budgets grow linearly, but the unit cost of a new military aircraft grows exponentially.” He estimated that by the year 2054 the entire defense budget will purchase just one tactical aircraft.
Hofstadter’s Law
Describe this one as an eponymous rule squared. “It always takes longer than you expect, even when you take into account Hofstadter’s Law.”
That’s all for now. I won’t mention any more names . . ..
Peter has spent the past twenty-plus years as an acting/consulting CFO for a number of small businesses in a wide range of industries. Peter’s prior experience is that of a serial entrepreneur, managing various start-up and turnaround projects. He is a co-founder of Keurig.
