“The whole is greater than the sum of its parts.”
― Aristotle
Aristotele's observation ---often used to indicate a synergetic, positive, outcome--- is unfortunately true also for the idiocy and frustrations of life. I spent almost all the past week dealing with individually small things whose sum turned into a whole huge frustration. Besides my personal situation ---abandonment from spouse--- I had to deal with professionally related nuisances, mainly dueto 3D printing. It was so frustrating experiencing the failure of my desktop printer which has had a very poor performance, terminated with total failure, since from its purchase of less than two month ago —especially after reading the recent article in The New Yorker, narrating the marvel of 3D printing applications in medicine. Researchers in material science collaborate with medical practitioner to 3D print in bio-compatible materials not only prosthetics and exoskeleton but also parts of internal organs.
Shapeways, the 3D printing service I often rely on for finer resolution design also failed, in the missed delivery of several design I was planning to present during my visit to Milan. Of course my personal frustrations are marginal, considering what is going on at a collective level with all the cases of racial discrimination, but when combined with my personal/professional rumination left me with little energy
Walking provided healing as usual: my 14 km walk in the relentless was cathartic, clearing the tension and frustration.
To conclude with popular wisdom, adopted by Nietzsche: "That which does not kill us makes us stronger".