Assume Irrelevant

Input: $ARGUMENTS

Core Move

Take something that seems important, relevant, or central and assume it’s actually irrelevant. It doesn’t matter. It’s noise, not signal. Then trace what changes.

Powerful for cutting through complexity. Often the most productive move is realizing something doesn’t matter.

Procedure

Step 1: Identify the Thing

What are we assuming is irrelevant?

Step 2: Force the Assumption

“[X] is irrelevant to the outcome. It doesn’t matter. We can ignore it completely.”

Step 3: Trace Implications

If it’s truly irrelevant:

1. What simplifies? — What becomes easier to think about, decide, or do?
2. What were we wasting on it? — Time, attention, resources, emotional energy?
3. What’s left? — If we remove this, what remains? Is what remains clearer?
4. Who was making it seem relevant? — Was someone’s interest served by making this seem important?
5. Why did it seem relevant? — What cognitive bias or social pressure made us think it mattered?
6. What decision changes? — If irrelevant, does our choice or strategy change?

Step 4: Test the Assumption

• What would go wrong if we literally ignored this?
• Has anyone succeeded while ignoring this?
• Is there a causal pathway from this to the outcome, or is it just associated?
• Could it be irrelevant NOW but become relevant later?

Step 5: Synthesize

THING: [X]
ASSUMING IRRELEVANT:
  Simplifies: [what gets easier]
  Wasted on it: [resources freed]
  Seemed relevant because: [bias/pressure/habit]
  Decision change: [what we'd do differently]
IRRELEVANCE CONFIDENCE: [high/medium/low]
RISK OF IGNORING: [what goes wrong if we're wrong]

When to Use

• Drowning in complexity and need to cut
• Suspect something is a distraction or red herring
• Want to test whether a “sacred cow” actually matters

Integration

• Pair with /acrit for the opposite stance
• Use in sequence: /airr on multiple factors to find what actually matters
• Follow with /ign for deliberate scope reduction