"This is a fundamental view of the world. It says that when you build a thing you cannot merely build that thing in isolation, but must repair the world around it, and within it, so that the larger world at that one place becomes more coherent, and more whole; and the thing which you make takes its place in the web of nature, as you make it"
- Christopher Alexander
About this Quote
This quote by Christopher Alexander speaks to the idea of interconnectedness and the importance of thinking about the larger context when creating something. He recommends that when we develop something, we should also repair the world around it and within it, so that the larger world at that a person location ends up being more coherent and more whole. This suggests that the thing we develop must be viewed as part of a larger system, which it needs to fit into the web of nature. This quote encourages us to believe beyond the private object we are producing, and to think about how it will interact with the environment and the bigger world. It is a pointer that our actions have effects, which we must make every effort to develop something that is in harmony with the world around it.