"There's a certain logic to systems, and that logic is fairly self-evident. It's very straightforward, usually. It might take a little research, it might take a little bit of industry to prize it out, but it's there to be seen"
About this Quote
The insistence on “logic” and “self-evident” carries a pointed subtext: people often experience institutions as confusing because confusion is profitable. Bureaucracy, jargon, and “that’s just how it is” culture work as soft intimidation, discouraging anyone from asking basic questions. Nesmith counters that with a democratic premise: the rules can be learned by non-initiates. Not instantly, not effortlessly, but without needing special bloodlines or insider mystique.
His phrasing also reframes research as a form of agency. “A little bit of industry to prize it out” suggests the system’s logic isn’t hidden by accident; it must be extracted. That verb, “prize,” implies leverage and persistence, like opening a stuck door. In the context of a career that spanned Monkees-era manufactured pop and later ventures into media and business, it sounds like advice from someone who watched countless creatives get flattened by structures they never bothered to diagram.
It’s a quietly bracing invitation: stop romanticizing chaos, stop blaming fate, read the room, follow the money, and the pattern will show itself.
Quote Details
| Topic | Reason & Logic |
|---|---|
| Source | Help us find the source |
| Cite |
Citation Formats
APA Style (7th ed.)
Nesmith, Michael. (2026, January 16). There's a certain logic to systems, and that logic is fairly self-evident. It's very straightforward, usually. It might take a little research, it might take a little bit of industry to prize it out, but it's there to be seen. FixQuotes. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/theres-a-certain-logic-to-systems-and-that-logic-105461/
Chicago Style
Nesmith, Michael. "There's a certain logic to systems, and that logic is fairly self-evident. It's very straightforward, usually. It might take a little research, it might take a little bit of industry to prize it out, but it's there to be seen." FixQuotes. January 16, 2026. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/theres-a-certain-logic-to-systems-and-that-logic-105461/.
MLA Style (9th ed.)
"There's a certain logic to systems, and that logic is fairly self-evident. It's very straightforward, usually. It might take a little research, it might take a little bit of industry to prize it out, but it's there to be seen." FixQuotes, 16 Jan. 2026, https://fixquotes.com/quotes/theres-a-certain-logic-to-systems-and-that-logic-105461/. Accessed 12 Feb. 2026.
