Su's E^F Law

I. Four Fundamental Axioms

Let me propose four axioms. I didn't invent them; I'm simply formalizing observations scattered across different fields.

Axiom 1: Conservation and Scarcity of Energy

E_total = C

An individual's total energy is a constant, and it's extremely limited.

"Energy" here is used broadly, encompassing time, mental energy, physical stamina, and money. You only have 24 hours each day, your brain can only process limited information simultaneously, and your wallet holds only so much. These resources can be converted into each other, but the total is conserved.

Axiom 2: Action as Investment

Action = Investment(E) → R

Any non-sleep action is essentially paying energy E in exchange for some form of return R.

Returns can be monetary (R_m), emotional (R_e - happiness, satisfaction), or cognitive (R_k - learning something new). Regardless of form, every action has the nature of a transaction: what did you give, what do you expect to get?

This axiom implies: there is no "free" action. Even "just scrolling on your phone" costs time and energy, you may just not be aware of the transaction cost.

Axiom 3: Information Entropy Increase

dS_info/dt > 0

The entropy (disorder/noise) of external information flow increases exponentially.

This is especially true in the AI era. When the marginal cost of content production approaches zero, total information explodes. But the increase in quantity doesn't mean an increase in quality. On the contrary, noise grows much faster than signal.

Schrödinger wrote in "What is Life?": life feeds on negative entropy. Organisms maintain their ordered state by extracting ordered energy from the environment. Applied to the information age: the mind feeds on low-entropy information. If you consume high-entropy noise, your thinking becomes chaotic.

Axiom 4: Energy Density Determines Work Efficiency

F = E / A

The same energy, spread across 100 things versus focused on 1 thing, produces completely different results.

In physics, force (F) and pressure (P) are different concepts. Pressure = Force / Area. A needle can pierce skin not because of high force, but because the contact area is small, making pressure extremely high.

Same logic: if your energy is scattered across 100 chat groups, 5 projects, and 3 trending topics, the "pressure" at each point is extremely low. In high-noise environments, only high pressure can penetrate the threshold and produce actual results.

This is why diffused light only illuminates objects, while lasers can cut through steel.

II. Deriving Theorems from Axioms

With these four axioms, we can begin deriving theorems.

Theorem 1: The Value Inversion Theorem

Derivation:

According to Axiom 3, total information is growing exponentially. According to Axiom 1, human processing capacity is constant. When information supply far exceeds processing capacity, the value per unit of information must decrease.

In the pre-AI era, acquiring information was a scarce activity. Whoever could access more information had an advantage.

In the AI era, producing information has become cheap. Anyone can generate an article in seconds. At this point, information itself is no longer scarce. What's scarce is: judging which information is worth your energy.

This leads to a counterintuitive conclusion: you shouldn't create value by "adding information," but by "reducing the information others need to process."

Whoever can lower others' information entropy earns the highest premium.

Theorem 2: The Potential-Kinetic Energy Conversion Law

Derivation:

According to Axiom 2, all actions are investments. Investments have ROI.

Suppose you spend 1 hour doing something. If it's done and over with no subsequent benefits, your return R at most equals the immediate value of that hour. This is "kinetic energy" work.

But if that 1 hour produces something that continues to work, like code, an article, or a process template, then that output can generate value in the future, even growing over time. This is "potential energy" work.

Examples of kinetic energy work: replying to emails, meetings, scrolling social media, handling daily chores.

Examples of potential energy work: writing an automation script (write once, run infinitely), writing a book (think once, read infinitely), building a brand (accumulate once, monetize continuously).

For kinetic energy work, since everyone's time is limited and such work is highly homogeneous, competition drives returns toward inputs. Eventually, profit approaches zero.

For potential energy work, returns can far exceed inputs because the output has replication effects.

Code and deep content are "solidified energy." You invest once, it works countless times. This is the only path where R > E.

Theorem 3: The Signal-to-Noise Ratio Threshold Theorem

Derivation:

According to Axiom 1, human energy is limited. According to Axiom 3, noise is growing exponentially.

When noise background is high enough, the receiver's brain automatically builds defense mechanisms, filtering out most inputs. This isn't a conscious choice, but resource self-protection.

In this environment, "ordinary" signals get filtered as noise. Only signals with extremely high SNR can break through the threshold.

This means: mediocre content, ordinary tools, mainstream opinions in the AI era aren't "low value," they're "non-existent."

Because they get drowned in the noise background radiation. You wrote an "okay" article; statistically, it's the same as not writing.

Only these types of signals can penetrate the threshold:

Extremely sharp perspectives that grab attention in 3 seconds.

Extremely vertical content that precisely hits specific needs of specific people.

Extremely emotionally resonant expression that bypasses rationality to hit instinct.

Theorem 4: The Activation Energy Threshold Theorem

Derivation:

According to Axiom 4, energy density determines work efficiency. According to Axiom 3, external noise keeps increasing.

Chemical reactions require sufficient energy to break through the activation energy barrier. Similarly, turning an idea into a product, a pile of materials into an article, a skill into income, all require breaking through some "threshold."

This explains a common phenomenon: many people seem to work hard but produce nothing.

You want to write a book, writing 10 minutes a day for a year. Output: zero. Because each time you never boiled the water (never reached threshold), it just cooled back down.

You work on a project, tinkering 1 hour a day, constantly interrupted. Output: minimal.

Only "deep work" - continuous investment at high energy density - can instantly break through the threshold and transform ideas into solid assets.

III. The E^F Law: The Unified Formula

Based on the above four axioms and four theorems, we can construct a unified formula for value creation:

V = (E^F × S) / N

V is the value you can create.

E is your effective energy invested. Not the time you "spent," but the part that actually produces utility.

F is your focus coefficient, ranging from 0 to infinity. As the exponent of E, it determines the "combustion efficiency" of energy.

S is your degree of systematization, also understood as "potential energy conversion rate." How much of your output is reusable? How much of your work can be leveraged?

N is the noise you consume. Note: not information volume, but noise volume. High-quality information isn't noise; it actually increases the efficiency of E.

The beauty of this formula:

If F < 1 (distracted state): Your energy E gets square-rooted, the more you invest, the more you lose. This is the mathematical explanation for "the busier you are, the poorer you get."

If F > 1 (flow state): Your energy E grows exponentially. This explains why a top programmer's 1-hour output can exceed an average programmer's 1-month output.

It tells us the survival strategy in the information flood: Rather than increasing E (working overtime), increase F (block distractions and enter deep work).

IV. Maxwell's Demon: A Physics Insight

In 1867, physicist Maxwell designed a thought experiment.

Imagine a box divided in two by a partition. The box is filled with gas molecules, some moving fast, some slow. In the partition is a small door controlled by a hypothetical tiny being. This being can discern molecular speed: when fast molecules come, open the door to let them to the right; when slow molecules come, keep it shut.

After some time, all fast molecules (high temperature) are on the right, all slow molecules (low temperature) on the left. A temperature difference is created. Order is created from chaos.

This little being came to be called "Maxwell's Demon."

Maxwell proposed this experiment to think about the boundaries of the second law of thermodynamics: can intelligent operation reverse entropy increase? Later research showed the demon needs to consume energy to acquire information (discern molecular speed), so it doesn't actually violate thermodynamics.

But this thought experiment has another layer of insight for us:

In the information world, the "gatekeeper" role is extremely precious.

Gatekeepers don't produce information. Gatekeepers only do one thing: discern, then decide what passes through.

Most people's role in the information age is "porter." Information comes in, gets processed, then it's gone. Their S is low, their N is high, their F is close to or below 1.

A few are "gatekeepers." They have a filtering mechanism, whether scripts they wrote, a judgment framework, or a trusted group of information sources. Information must pass through this gate to enter their field of view.

The gatekeeper's value lies in: using limited energy to create order, filtering valuable signals from chaos.

V. Practical Corollaries

From the above axioms and theorems, we can derive some practical conclusions.

On N (Noise): Deliberately reducing noise intake may be more effective than deliberately increasing work hours. According to the formula, lowering N has the same effect as raising the numerator. If you can cut daily useless information intake by 50%, it's equivalent to doubling your effective output.

On F (Focus): This is the most underestimated variable. Most people's F stays below 1 year-round, causing invested E to be discounted. The way to raise F isn't "more discipline" but "more isolation." Turn off notifications, set focus blocks, physically isolate distractions.

On S (Systems): Prioritize work that produces potential energy. Ask yourself: after this is done, can it be reused? If the answer is no, it's pure kinetic energy consumption. Long-term, accumulating potential energy work produces compound effects.

On E (Energy): This is the only variable most people focus on, but it's the least important leverage point. Because E is linear while F is exponential. Rather than investing 2 more hours (E+2), double the focus of existing time (E^2).

On content creation: In high-noise environments, mediocre equals non-existent. If you're going to write something, make it extremely deep, extremely practical, or extremely interesting. If it's just "okay," statistically it's the same as not writing.

On business models: Helping others reduce information entropy is the most valuable service. Not helping others produce more information, but helping others filter information. Curation, filtering, recommendation, verification are all "gatekeeper" work.

VI. Conclusion

Returning to the opening question: in the information-explosive AI era, how should people live?

Four axioms tell us: energy is limited, action is investment, noise is growing, density determines efficiency.

Four theorems tell us: filtering beats producing, potential energy beats kinetic energy, mediocre equals non-existent, only surpassing threshold produces transformation.

The E^F Law tells us: real leverage isn't in investing more energy, but in increasing energy density. F as the exponent affects results far more than E as the base.

These conclusions aren't motivational platitudes, but inevitable results derived from basic axioms.

Most people invest large amounts of E in low-F states every day, while being swamped by high N, with almost no S accumulation. The formula's result: V approaches zero. This is the mathematical essence of "the busier, the poorer."

A few people deliberately raise F (deep work), control N (filter noise), and continuously accumulate S (build systems). Even if their E isn't more than others, V grows exponentially.

Which person will you choose to be?

This isn't a matter of willpower. This is physics.