The Gordian Knot

In ancient times, the Gordian Knot was considered to be impossible to untie.

The knot was a complicated weave holding an ox cart to a post. An oracle had declared that whoever could undo the knot was destined to become ruler of all of Asia.

As the legend goes, Alexander the Great was passing through the city of Gordium. He walked up to the knot, looked at it, briefly contemplated ways that it could be untied, unsheathed his sword, and sliced the knot from the post on which it was tied.

The Gordian Knot was defeated.

Some of the best sailors, mathematicians, logicians, and others from around the realm had attempted to break the knot. They had applied strength, experience with other knots, and the most advanced mathemtical theories of the time to the problem. But none had thought to do what Alexander did.

What are our Gordian Knots?

What are we, collectively and individually, doing to solve problems in unecessarily complex ways?