The theoretical fruits of deliberate oversimplification through idealization are not to be denied. . . Reality in all its messy particularity is too complicated to theorize about, taken straight. The issue is, rather (since every idealization is a strategic choice), which idealizations might really shed some light. . . which will just land us. . . diverting fairy tales.
The automobile is technologically more sophisticated than the bundling board, but the human motives in their uses are sometimes the same.