---
title: "On principles"
description: "Ever feel like there are too many variables in a situation? Does it feel that no matter how much you analyze, you always seem to be spinning in the same decisionless cycle? Oftentimes, you can escape this hell by having…"
author: "Ghaith Ayadi"
site: "Verbatim"
collection: "Hokum"
url: "https://verbatim.ayadighaith.com/hokum/on-principles"
date: 2023-08-27
updated: 2026-09-16
---
# On principles

![](https://butbut7wellsz5so.public.blob.vercel-storage.com/2026/mplq5yda-on-principles-img1.png)

Ever feel like there are too many variables in a situation? Does it feel that no matter how much you analyze, you always seem to be spinning in the same decisionless cycle? Oftentimes, you can escape this hell by having thoughtful, coherent, and consistent principles.

Making decisions based on principle rather than circumstance (also called being data-driven) is something you never hear about. It seems that we forgot that this is an option.

Behold this ludicrous cancellation policy from Yotel. If you were to hire a data-driven moron, they will show you numbers that "prove" that you should be less generous.

Men of principle act differently in these situations. They don't hire 7 MBA-wielding moronistas to figure out the optimal cancellation policy. They remind themselves that their mission is to provide sensible accommodation to people who want it. They understand that weaponizing important parts of the experience is wrong. So they do the right thing, regardless. The marginal difference isn't worth it, but doing the right thing is.

In Tunisia, we say: "If the plate doesn't get you full, licking it won't help"

By doing the right thing, Yotel turned me, and perhaps many other self-respecting customers into loyal patrons, till the end of time. Unfortunately, this fact can't penetrate the tiny brain of the A/B testing moron.

My first experience at a Yotel a few years ago was such that the moment I saw that we had one in Porto, I knew that it was going to be my choice the next time I needed a stay. I didn't even go to [Booking.com](http://booking.com/) like the sensible person does. I became the noise in your Mixpanel data. A person who seemingly comes out of nowhere, for no reason. Except there was an experiential reason that's impossible to detect in a dashboard.

Numbers have a divine quality to them because they are, indeed, facts. But unlike what you're told, numbers don't talk. Just like holy scripture, most of what we understand from them is our own wishes.

At the base of our over-interpretation of numbers lies one of man's deepest fears: the fear of not knowing. We over-rely on numbers not because of their epistemic value, but because of the psychological comfort they bring. Numbers sooth. They make chaos less scary. But unfortunately, they don't always make our decisions better. It just seems like it.

When we're comfortable with the helpless feeling of not knowing, then we are free to see the flagrant flaws in our shortsighted data-driven culture. We can see why we're often stuck in those decisionless loops. What we lack is not more experiments and analysis. We lack a robust anchor, independent of circumstance. We lack principles.

The wise have their numbers on a leech. Data is not their master. They do what they think is right, not what they think to do better in a sub-ethical marketplace.

Unfortunately, being principled doesn't make you more likely to succeed. What all the elders tried to teach us is that it doesn't make you less likely either. It just seems that way to the faithless. Oh, ye of little faith.

There's no doubt that Yotel is gonna go out of business because of this moronic policy. But that's OK. Most businesses die anyway. At least they did it right while they lived. Respect 🎩.