There are complex systems and complicated systems, one such is human health.
Complex is the opposite of simplex or a simple system.
In a simple system, it can be defined as simple inputs and outputs. Taking account some rate of exchange as well as some form of ‘stock’ or quantity.
If it helps, you can think of a bathtub, or a supply of something static. Like the amount of milk in your fridge, or the total items in your fridge. There’s a simple amount or number or quantity that goes in and goes out. Simple block diagram for such.
In a complex system, we have multiple inputs, multiple outputs, feedback loops of both reinforcing and diminishing kinds that loop from input as well as from output, and these channels of input or output can be influenced by other channels of inputs or outputs. It can get pretty complicated for just one system block;
Many simple systems combined can create a chain of systems, which is also another way to make it complex.
One of the most common types of chainlike systems used in logistics is the idea or concept of a ‘supply chain’, where inputs feed to the subsequent process to the final or end result.
These chains can feedback into each other or at various points, making it more dynamic and robust, while also making it ringlike in structure (like in recycling or any sort of cycle);
The term ‘com’ means ‘with-‘ and ‘plex’ means ‘weave or flow together’.
Here is a simple version of what a complex system can look like, I simply drew more arrows and interconnected some blocks in more ways.
But in reality, these systems can get very connected, and one would do well to define ‘boundaries’ for what system they are analyzing. Because you’ll probably come to the truth that everything is connected to everything, meaning that if you try to make a 1 for 1 map of the territory (the universe), then the map isn’t going to be useful. (think Korzybski’s principle and Bonini’s paradox).
That’s also why it’s strongly important to understand that research studies often ‘suggest’ things rather than ‘prove definitively’ things.
It’s also important to note the difference between ‘correlation’ and ‘causation’, as there could be something that correlates positively with results, meaning there might be a connection, but it could also be a trick of a bunch of systems and could be misleading if universally applied to everyone because everyone is different and there might be different problems or ailments. (Part of why a diagnosis is important, to understand the underlying issue). The goal is to be more precise and differentiate what we ‘think’ from what we ‘think we know’ to reflect that of the complex reality that we live in.
Correlation is noticing a pattern or possible connection.
Causation is proving that one thing directly causes the other.
An example of a complex system;
In terms of health (human health), it is a complicated system because it doesn’t flow in a chain in a simple manner. There are many feedback loops and pathologies from chemical to neural transmitters and all of them play a role or portion. There’s different rates of usage and depletion of nutrients as well as exchange and transfer rates and times and other factors to consider. It’s also a thing to note that not everyone has the same gut biome or bacteria or conditions or genetics, thus adding another layer of nuance and degree of variability.
Health can feedback loop into various systems and organs and chemicals, some resource pools feed into various parts of the body and cause cascading or tertiary effects (like when aluminum is introduced and it turns into aluminum oxide or replaces calcium in the bone or bypasses the blood brain barrier). Small introductions intravenously or otherwise can cause all sorts of complicated effects. Oxygen intake, amino acids, precursors, vitamins, hormones, etc.
There are many side effects and contraindications of use to any change or application. And arguably there are many different perspectives for redistricting how a system functions or what systems play. Some account for the human etheric fields, while others account for electromagnetic and biofields. So depending on which systems you focus and recognize as real (or input into your calculations), will affect the interoperability of these systems with each other. I.e. If you exclude the nervous system, then you might not factor in electromagnetism or neural synapsis.
Point being, Human health is very complex and it’s engineered in such a way that it makes the belief of intelligent design rather a small leap of faith. (For instance, Dr. Ming Wang a world renowned cataract and LASIK eye surgeon coming to the belief of intelligent design based on the probability for neural networks between the eye and brain to form naturally being abysmally small in his estimations).
All of this is to illustrate how complex a complex system can be, and we can simplify it by isolating specific pathologies or interactions to make things easier to comprehend or conceptualize. And this process can be done arguably to any large or complex system.
The point of describing systems being,
Words and letters and language at large is-a/are complex system(s).
There is arguably a social neural network of interaction between community members and digital discourse that is arguably as complicated as the human body in terms of agency and interoperability or state actors.
Society itself is then a living organism, a sort of collective consciousness and hive mind where individual actors play a role in exhibiting meta-giant or meta-collective actions or actors.
Like when a crowd of people become a sort of hive mind or when crowds start functioning like a wave mechanic (crowd dynamic, herding behavior, or collective response), instead of acting like a particle we act like a wave, similar to that of particle-wave-duality/observer-effect.
There are even limiters or mechanisms in which the average person is limited by, for instance a constraint may be that we have 24 hours in a day and thus we can only effectively spend time with a handful of people. A village might be the limit to our intimate awareness, with a Dunbar number of ~150 or so names, yet technology also augments our ability to extend that in ways that may artificially break some of those constraints like time, distance, or memory.
How many meaningful relationships we have, as well as the language and dialogue we have with each other is unique, but it also may be a reoccurring theme or pattern that is repeatable and near predictable when scaled. This is of course, applying a sort of meta-narrative or trope system or even a systems thinking perspective. That people might act as archetypes, like class clowns, and interact with ‘prom queens’ and ‘jocks’ in a repeatable and measurably statistical accuracy.
All of which is driven by or alongside with language itself. Wars were fought over language (Sri Lanka, and Norway), what the nation wanted as a common tongue, and part of immigration and civic responsibility is the comprehension and utilization of language (for naturalization process), which is apparent in many Sino-Centric nations in their advanced language tests (Chinese and Japanese language exams are insanely difficult).
All of this is to say that the linguistic element, human behavioral element, and sociological anthropological element all interplay itself to weave into a complex system that we narrate as the ‘human story’ or ‘human condition’ that we live.
-And a model of the complex system is a sort of map that can/may help us navigate and understand the system to be able to better ‘use’ these systems.
Society is a complex system, and if we were to understand the collective ‘soul’ of society, we may be able to predict and shape it in any way the controller(s) could choose. Much like an algorithm for a society being a mirror or reflection of the society itself, one could use algorithms as levers to guide societal hive mind and group think, subverting or guiding the collective subconscious.
Switching from crowd to individual focus;
(Just like going from wave to particle)
The fact that certain words or songs can play over and over in our thoughts and even change our emotional states means that words alone have the magic to alter our conscious mind. It’s a very complex system.
People literally get upset losing or prideful winning imaginary shower arguments in their heads.
A random stranger on the internet or in person can say something mean or nice and change your mood for the rest of the day or even week. Some people ‘grow thicker skins’ and are accustomed to it, others suffer still from such interactions.
As a sort of side note; A sense of ‘growing a thicker skin’ could be akin to having a sort of ‘mana or anti-magic barrier’ to protect against ‘spell casting’ by ‘soothsayers’ or people who sling their words to cause an emotional or magical effect on you to alter your ‘sooth’ or ‘truth’.
All of this implies that words at large effect complex systems with a varying degree or certain level of grace and ease. Some words are taken at face value, others are ignored. Some bypass our guards, some are never heard.
Almost as if it’s magic, some form of magical systemic penetration, that can bypass a lot of our perceptive filters and reach to the roots of our souls (or subconscious for those that like distinctions).
(arguably, hyper-complex systems function at an ‘arcane’ level which may be indistinguishable from advance technology or magic).
Our personal experience with words, thoughts, sayings, writings, teachings, and signs and symbols and anything in between alter and affect us to levels we aren’t (always) consciously aware of. Our psychology is a complex human system, as complex as health itself, and language is a complex system, and all three of these are interwoven with each other to create an even greater complex inter-exchange between these three systems.
The Mind, the Body, and the Soul. Three complex systems. Somewhere all three complex systems interact with the Logos, both divine and non-divine, as in words and language, to create an even grander complex system encompassing all other systems.
Thus, I’d even argue that words have the power to curse and heal our being, soul, mind, and body in ways we are collectively early to uncovering. The power of words is/are real, here’s a verse from the bible to help bridge those that appeal to either Christian faith or historical/esoteric wisdom.
Proverbs 18:21 King James Version (KJV)
Death and life are in the power of the tongue: And they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof.
Epilogue
This thought and totality of perception has been heavily inspired by the Late Donella Meadows who wrote the book ‘thinking in systems’ that acted as a primer and catalyst for my personal engineering achievements and analytical thinking. If you are serious about engineering or any sort of advanced level of analysis, I highly suggest the book as a lens to see the world and future problems (especially if you’re in chemical engineering at the systems and risk analysis level of a project manager or designer).
Point being, a book helped me to see the world (universe) through a series of words and pictures. Pictures are just arguably shapes which are arguably letters or pictographs and symbology. So I was able to find a new way to look at the world through words and language.
The world through words. The Universe through verses.
To which I redescribe the essence of what I see, using words and language above in this article.
And then I tie it all back to Words Meaning Things, to allow you to sort of see a modicum of the complexity of language itself. It’s both simple and not, at the same time. Such a duality.
In essence, I describe systems thinking and perspectives to then be used as a lens to look at human language and interaction, to look at both crowds and individual experiences, to see that there is indeed a complexity to words meaning things.
Hopefully this article helped you see something that was right in front of you and under your nose. If it did, then it’s life changing. If it didn’t then I guess the information was not meant for you at this time and I’ve at least altered your time spent which is not necessarily a positive life change, but a life change nonetheless.
Anycase, the truth remains;
Words Mean Things
Words Mean Things 
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