What category does your BIM fall into? Use your knitting needles to work it out!

In response to my pondering on the tool-weapon-aid threesome yesterday, Marti suggested BIM needs to be seen as an “approach” or “process” and is, of course right.

I am not disputing BIM being either.

The point I was intending to make was this: what you use it for and how, is what will put BIM (or just about anything) into one of the 3 categories listed; (a tool, a weapon, an aid);

Say you have a knitting needle. What is it?

A long, thin, most-likely-round, plastic or wooden stick, with one end sharp and pointy the other has a knob.

This part is pretty straight, now how do you employ it?

You get a ball of wool, you make a jumper; It is a tool.

 You put your hair up in a bun and push the needle through to hold it there. It is an aid.

You fend off your younger brother’s attack (over something trivial) by poking him in the ribs with the needle. It is a weapon.

BIM is a bit like that, though there are 2 more categories it can fall into: ‘impediment’ and ‘prerequisite’

Say, forcing yourself to eat your peas with one knitting needle (because no alternative is available), or being required by someone to do so (due to their power over you);

What category does your BIM fall into?