fixed idea * growth ^ duration = new
Typically compulsion or obsession is thought of as repetition— Mathematically this is expressed by counting, adding or multiplying; but these methods are limited, and only represent linear growth. Time is aggressively warped in the space of obsession and cannot be accurately expressed by a simple counting of the accumulation of minutes, seconds or moments. Within the void of obsession, time and duration have an intensifying effect. Stripped of all distractions the obsessive’s faculties and attentions are hyper-focused. In mathematics, when discussing growth over a period, multiplication alone is not sufficient and instead we use exponents. In equations, exponents are a way of expressing a situation where you begin with a set of conditions, change or growth from this set of condition occurs. In these situations the degree of change (the new) is unknown at the outset, as it results from exponential growth in relation to time (duration). Obsession is an example of this kind of recursive process, where growth is compounded through duration— once surrendered to or entered; obsession gives rise to growth: new, unexpected operations lead to new failures, which result in new ideas, instigating new thinking, problems and exponential growth. As a mathematical formula, obsession’s effect could be represented as—
fixed idea * growth ^ duration = new.