Surface vs. structure

Most people engage with systems at the surface level. They see the interface, the rules, the official explanations. This is enough to get by most of the time.

But systems often work differently than they claim to. Organisations say they value merit but reward politics. Markets say they're efficient but are shaped by power. Technologies say they're neutral but embed assumptions about how the world should work.

I find the gap between surface and structure more interesting than either one alone. Not because I'm cynical; sometimes the surface and structure align. But understanding the difference helps you navigate more effectively and build things that actually work.