Tolstoy famously wrote that “all happy families are alike, each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.” Known as the Anna Karenina Principle, this observation has been applied to everything from equities to microbiomes.
How? The basic idea is that there are countless ways to fail, but to succeed, you need a common set of requirements that you fulfill or exceed. A championship team must have strengths across the board—offense, defense, midfield, coaching, etc.—whereas a team with just one weakness (like a poor goalkeeper) will struggle.
I was thinking about this today at my sister-in-law’s birthday celebration. It was a lovely day, with three generations of Pattisons enjoying each other’s company, sharing food, and having fun. Even the “outsiders” like myself felt right at home.
It’s always a pleasure to see a happy family, and as someone who also had the great fortune to grow up in one, I can confirm that they really are very much alike.