More of Less

“Nothing ever happens to me.”

These are the morbidly honest and depressing words spoken by Dr. John Watson shortly before he has the incredible privilege of meeting—and doing everything with—Sherlock Holmes.

This particular Sherlock scenario falls under the modern version. It is during a counselling session, and through the course of the session it is revealed that Dr. Watson is supposed to be writing a blog about everything which happens to him. He replies with the formerly quoted statement.

Despite its minuteness and flippant delivery, this statement says a great deal about humanity and how our interactions work. I suppose the phrase, “Less is more” suits this situation perfectly, but I find myself hard pressed to use it as I am not one to do what most people would or would not do in certain situations. Nonetheless, it is an undeniable fact that in those five words, there is a great deal more waiting to be unpacked.

For example, there are a great deal of assumptions drawn here by our friend, Dr. Watson. Most of which I believe to be far more true than even he may have realized. When asked to write, Watson responded by saying that nothing ever happens to him. As a writer—and I am sure most authors would agree—this is the most valid reason in the world to refrain from writing. If nothing ever happens to you, what in the bloody hell have you got to write about?

If nothing has happened to you; meaning that you have neither participated in any action beyond surviving, nor have you been effected by the lives of others participating in actions beyond surviving, then any fool can clearly see that you have nothing to write about. Not even the musings of lovable characters on excellent tv shows.

Less is more.