Ever noticed how we never actually say what we mean? We use hedge words. We say "roughly" or "around" or, most commonly, more or less or more or less. It’s a linguistic safety net. It’s the verbal equivalent of a shrug that somehow makes you sound smarter and more cautious at the same time. But there is a weird, deep logic to why this specific phrase—and the concept of approximation—dominates how humans communicate, calculate, and survive.
Honestly, if we were perfectly precise all the time, we’d be insufferable. Imagine telling a friend you'll be over in exactly 14 minutes and 22 seconds. You’d look like a robot. Instead, you say you’ll be there in 15 minutes, more or less. This gives you the social "grease" needed to navigate a world that is inherently messy.
The Mathematical Truth Behind the Blur
In mathematics and statistics, there is a very real concept called "significant figures." It’s basically the formal version of saying more or less. If you measure a table with a ruler that only has inch marks, you can't say the table is 30.4283 inches wide. You don't know that. You only know it's about 30 inches.
Precision is a trap.
In 1965, Lotfi Zadeh introduced the world to "Fuzzy Logic." It changed everything. Before Zadeh, logic was binary—true or false, 1 or 0, black or white. But the real world is grey. A "tall" person isn't just someone over 6 feet. Is someone 5'11" short? No. They are "tall-ish." They are more or less tall. Fuzzy logic allowed computers to start thinking like humans by processing degrees of truth rather than just absolute certainties. This is why your modern washing machine can "feel" how dirty the clothes are and adjust the water. It isn't looking for a "yes/no" on dirt; it's looking for a "more or less" amount of grime.
Why our brains love the "More or Less" approach
Our brains are not calculators. They are pattern-recognition machines. If you see a shape in the woods that looks more or less like a bear, your brain doesn't wait for a high-definition scan to confirm the species. It screams "BEAR!" and sends adrenaline through your veins. Evolution favored the creatures that could make quick, "more or less" assessments over the ones that needed 100% accuracy before acting.
- Quick decisions save lives.
- Over-analysis leads to "paralysis by analysis."
- Generalizations help us categorize a complex world into manageable chunks.
We use this in our social lives constantly. When you meet someone new, you're subconsciously checking if they seem more or less trustworthy. You aren't running a background check. You're reading body language, tone, and eye contact. It’s an approximation that works well enough to keep us functioning.
The Cost of Being Too Precise
There’s a funny thing that happens in business called "The Precision Fallacy." This is when a company presents a budget or a projection that is suspiciously specific. If a CEO says, "We expect to grow by 14.32% next quarter," they are usually making it up. Why? Because the economy is too volatile for that kind of granularity. A more honest CEO would say, "We’re looking at 15%, more or less."
The "more or less" version is actually more trustworthy. It acknowledges the unknown.
In the world of project management, there’s a rule called the "90/90 Rule." It says that the first 90% of the code accounts for the first 90% of the development time. The remaining 10% of the code accounts for the other 90% of the development time. Basically, the project is more or less done for a very long time before it’s actually finished. If you don't build in that "more or less" buffer, you’re going to miss every deadline you ever set.
Language and the "More or Less" Paradox
Linguists often talk about "hedging." It’s the use of cautious or vague language. While some writing teachers tell you to cut out the fluff, in the real world, "more or less" is a power move. It protects your reputation. If you say a task will take an hour, and it takes 65 minutes, you lied. If you say it'll take an hour, more or less, and it takes 65 minutes, you were right.
It’s about managing expectations.
Interestingly, different cultures have different tolerances for this. In some highly "monochronic" cultures (like Germany or Switzerland), more or less isn't a phrase you want to hear regarding a train schedule. In "polychronic" cultures (like many in Latin America or the Middle East), time is more fluid. An appointment at 2:00 PM means 2:00 PM more or less or more or less. It’s not laziness; it’s a different philosophy of how humans relate to the clock.
Is there a limit to the blur?
Of course. You don't want your surgeon saying the anesthesia will last more or less through the operation. You don't want a structural engineer saying the bridge is more or less capable of holding 50 tons. There are domains where the "more or less" mentality is dangerous.
The trick is knowing when to switch gears.
- Safety-critical tasks: Zero tolerance for "more or less."
- Creative brainstorming: "More or less" is the best tool you have.
- Social interaction: "More or less" prevents you from being a jerk.
How to use the "More or Less" philosophy to your advantage
Stop trying to be perfect. It's killing your productivity. Most things in life don't require 100% precision. They require "good enough." This is often called the Pareto Principle—the idea that 80% of your results come from 20% of your effort. The rest is just polishing.
If you can get a project to be more or less perfect, you should probably move on to the next thing. The law of diminishing returns says that the effort required to go from 95% to 100% is often equal to the effort it took to get to 95% in the first place. Is that extra 5% worth doubling your workload? Usually, no.
Real-world application: The "Roughly Right" Strategy
When you're faced with a big decision—like buying a house or taking a new job—don't try to calculate every single variable. You can't. You don't know what the interest rates will be in five years or if your new boss will quit in six months. Instead, look for a "more or less" fit. Does the house meet your main needs? Is the salary more or less what you want? If the big pieces fit, the small pieces usually fall into place.
Moving Toward a More Flexible Mindset
The phrase more or less or more or less isn't just filler. It's a philosophy of grace. It's an admission that we are living in a chaotic universe where we don't have all the answers. By embracing the "more or less," you reduce stress and increase your ability to pivot when things change.
Start by identifying one area of your life where you are being too rigid. Maybe it’s your diet, your workout schedule, or your morning routine. Try applying the more or less rule for a week. Aim for the "gist" of the goal rather than the letter of the law. You’ll likely find that you’re more consistent when you give yourself permission to be slightly off-target.
The most successful people aren't the ones who never miss a beat; they're the ones who stay in the general rhythm of success, more or less, for the long haul. Focus on the big picture. Stop sweating the decimals. The most effective way to move forward is to be okay with a little bit of blur around the edges.
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Actionable Steps for Implementation
- Audit your deadlines: Look at your current to-do list. Identify which tasks actually require 100% accuracy and which ones just need to be "more or less" done to be effective.
- Practice "Fuzzy" communication: The next time someone asks for an estimate, give a range instead of a fixed number. It’s more honest and gives you breathing room.
- Lower the stakes: Give yourself a "B-" day once a week. Purposefully aim for more or less good work rather than perfection. You'll be surprised at how much you still get accomplished without the burnout.
Embracing the inherent inaccuracy of life is the fastest way to actually get things right. Accuracy is a measurement, but "more or less" is a strategy for survival. Use it wisely.