I think the right dichotomy might be ugly/easy to use vs beautiful/hard to use, not beautiful vs ugly.
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like fountain pens vs. ball point pens? ;) I call this the "demandingness axis" and it's valuable for its own sake I think
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Yes. I think it is also remarkable when a culture collectively chooses to be demanding instead of evolving to simple.
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?? I think it is choosing simplicity over divergent complexity that's so rare as to be remarkable (Amish).
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I would characterize the Amish choice as exactly the opposite. They have to know more to exist because of the choice.
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They exist because pluralist society around them can afford to let them be, and has the openness to let them :)


