Why does the word “messy” have such a negative connotation? Messy desks. Messy rooms. Messy lives. It shouldn’t, according to Tim Harford. In his new book, Messy: The Power of Disorder to Transform Our Lives, he uses research in neuroscience, psychology, and social science to explain why should embrace messiness instead of resist it. And how the creativity, responsiveness, and resilience we crave rely on the disorder, confusion, and disarray require to produce them.
On this episode of Marginalia… we move beyond the pages of a book and visit with author Tim Harford about the benefits of being messy.
Here's our conversation:
And if you listened to the commentary on-air, this is what you heard:
-
Messy: The Power of Disorder to Transform Our Lives by Tim Harford was published by Riverhead Books.
Thanks for joining us for Marginalia. Discover new episodes at kmuw.org or through iTunes. Marginalia was produced at KMUW - Wichita.
Editors: LuAnne Stephens & Nadya Faulx
Engineer: Jon Cyphers
Producer: Beth Golay