The Utility Pole Theorem: Can You Accept 'Necessary and Sufficient' From Now On?

When I lived in the American Midwest,
I used to drive through places like this.
After I had been in the U.S. for a while and gotten used to life there,

I started to notice thatthe utility poles on the side of the road were leaning to the left and right.

Or rather, on country roads, you don't see the kind of utility poles that we take for granted in Japan, lined up perfectly straight without a single deviation.

At first, it felt really strange.

Why would they set them up so carelessly?
They should be straight and neat, right?

Among the photos I took, this one is on the better side.
The tilt of the poles and wires isn't particularly noticeable.

Look at the utility poles here, both the ones running from the front right to the back left and the ones going from the back left to the right.
They are quite slanted.

By the way, this is a country road in the middle of a cornfield.


And,
for a while, it bothered me,
and I kept thinking, 'Why are they slanted? They should fix them, right?'
But eventually,


in the daily life of America, which isn't as rigid as Japan,
even though they are slanted, the scenery started to look stable in its own way, and electricity was still reaching every home.
When I organized my thoughts with that in mind,

even if the poles are slanted,
and the wires are a bit saggy,
since the purpose is served,

I started to think, 'Maybe this is fine as it is.'

Sufficient condition

Thinking positively,
the goal is to deliver electricity to each home,
and even if they are slanted, the electricity is being delivered properly.
In that case, isn't this fine?

And actually,
beyond just fulfilling the purpose, isn't lining up poles perfectly straight and pulling wires taut an excessive investment beyond what is needed? Compared to the cost of just getting electricity through even if they are slanted, isn't that an excessive and large investment? Could it be, say, several tens of percent more?


When I think of it that way,the 'slanted utility pole'started to look like scenery that warns against
the formalistic, bureaucratic,
and excessive, unnecessary investments that Japanese people tend to make.
I decided to call this, on my own,

The Utility Pole Theorem

It means:
- The necessary functions are fulfilled
- It is rational and reasonable
- Excessive costs for appearance or decoration are unnecessary

Can you accept that level?

Entering the 21st century, Japan is expected to shrink, and in a direction of identifying needs and cutting waste,

both individuals and society
- Do not do what does not need to be done
- Make as much use of brownfields as possible
I feel these days that we need a broader tolerance for things like this.