# What is simple, but not easy, and vice versa? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 16, 2016, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-simple-but-not-easy-and-vice-versa/752329 "2016-04-16T03:28:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2016, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-simple-but-not-easy-and-vice-versa/752329/1 "2016-04-16T03:28:57Z")
A recent commercial reminded me that while simple tasks and such are often easy, sometimes the two qualities do not coexist. Of course, whether you think something is simple can depend on point of view, such as with losing weight. What can you think of that’s simple, but not easy, and vice versa? ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2016, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-simple-but-not-easy-and-vice-versa/752329/2 "2016-04-16T03:48:07Z")
Simple but not easy: Stand on one foot and balance for a long time. Easy but not simple: My job. Many, many fiddly little tasks that I’ve memorized and streamlined down through the years that I can do it in my sleep, but it’d take me a month to teach you how to do it. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2016, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-simple-but-not-easy-and-vice-versa/752329/3 "2016-04-16T03:54:31Z")
It’s simple, but not easy, to be dumb but not stupid. It’s easy, but not simple, to be stupid but not dumb. ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2016, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-simple-but-not-easy-and-vice-versa/752329/4 "2016-04-16T04:25:42Z")
Threading a needle is pretty simple, but not easy. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2016, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-simple-but-not-easy-and-vice-versa/752329/5 "2016-04-16T04:58:59Z")
Quitting smoking is simple. You just stop getting cigarettes and smoking them. It is not easy. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2016, 11:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-simple-but-not-easy-and-vice-versa/752329/6 "2016-04-16T11:57:03Z")
Sure: playing a simple musical phrase on an instrument. Many famous leads are simple melodic phrases that beginners can play, but making the notes truly sing…that’s a bit harder. **Miles Davis’ Kind of Blue** is held up as the most beloved jazz album of all time. It is known for having long, languid, melodic trumpet playing by Miles. His whole approach to the album - described as “modal playing” - was all about slowing things down and not giving the players the typical chord changes they could blast superfast leads over. The notes are easy. The music - and the spaces between the notes - are hard. As I always say about music: Simpler is Better; Less is More I believe the Haiku poetry form embodies this approach, too. ---
**Author:** ![sandra\_nz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eada6e/32.png) [@sandra\_nz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sandra_nz)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2016, 12:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-simple-but-not-easy-and-vice-versa/752329/7 "2016-04-16T12:01:14Z")
Doh, didn’t read the OP properly. ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2016, 12:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-simple-but-not-easy-and-vice-versa/752329/8 "2016-04-16T12:02:32Z")
Caring for a newborn is simple, but enormously difficult. ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2016, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-simple-but-not-easy-and-vice-versa/752329/9 "2016-04-16T12:03:47Z")
Juggling is also simple, but not easy, until you have practiced a lot. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2016, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-simple-but-not-easy-and-vice-versa/752329/10 "2016-04-16T12:19:20Z")
Simple but not easy: writing a well-crafted pop song. mmm ETA: Similar to what \*\*WordMan \*\*said ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2016, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-simple-but-not-easy-and-vice-versa/752329/11 "2016-04-16T12:22:22Z")
Not simple, but easy: driving a car. Even the first time you’re behind the wheel, most of us do okay. There’s room for improvement, but if you consider the insanely complex task that driving a car actually is - with constantly changing visual and auditory input and motor output coordinating hands and feet and arm movements while following directions and being aware of what everyone around you is also doing to change the environment… there’s nothing simple about the mechanics of driving. Thank goodness most of the math and physics is done unconsciously. Simple, but not (always) easy: peeling hard boiled eggs. (I really like the threading a needle example, too.) ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2016, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-simple-but-not-easy-and-vice-versa/752329/12 "2016-04-16T13:13:11Z")
Some complex tasks can get easy with time due to muscle memory, such as typing. I type 60 WPM and I’m not really sure how. ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2016, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-simple-but-not-easy-and-vice-versa/752329/13 "2016-04-16T13:19:19Z")
Filling out a winning lottery .ticket ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2016, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-simple-but-not-easy-and-vice-versa/752329/14 "2016-04-16T14:56:52Z")
I can tell you from personal experience: being a store cashier is simple, but it is not easy. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2016, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-simple-but-not-easy-and-vice-versa/752329/15 "2016-04-16T14:57:13Z")
> [@sandra\_nz](#): > > Doh, didn’t read the OP properly. Simple, but not easy! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2016, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-simple-but-not-easy-and-vice-versa/752329/16 "2016-04-16T15:28:32Z")
Being “yourself” is simple, but not easy. Most engine repairs are easy, but not simple, provided you have all the correct tools. That is really what you pay a mechanic for-- he has a huge array of specialized tools. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2016, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-simple-but-not-easy-and-vice-versa/752329/17 "2016-04-16T15:37:54Z")
Simple: bring virtually all conflict in the Middle East to an end by having everyone respect and tolerate each others’ religious beliefs. Easy: uh…:dubious: ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2016, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-simple-but-not-easy-and-vice-versa/752329/18 "2016-04-16T15:38:15Z")
Chess is simple to learn (just the moves of 6 pieces), but certainly not easy to play well. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2016, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-simple-but-not-easy-and-vice-versa/752329/19 "2016-04-16T16:32:50Z")
Breaking or developing habits is simple but not easy. Free verse is simple but not easy. Language, for most of us, is easy, but not simple. Communication in general is easy but not simple (communicating exactly what you want is not always either!) ---
**Author:** ![sandra\_nz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eada6e/32.png) [@sandra\_nz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sandra_nz)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2016, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-simple-but-not-easy-and-vice-versa/752329/20 "2016-04-16T17:06:23Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > Simple, but not easy! 🙂 Touche! 😃 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-simple-but-not-easy-and-vice-versa/752329.md?page=2)