I was thinking about the ol’ “A key that can open a lot of locks is a pretty good key, but a lock that can be opened by many keys is a shitty lock” analogy, which seems like a shitty analogy, but actually it’s just that the conclusion is wrong.

See, why might one want a lock that can be opened by many keys?  Perhaps because you’re generous and want the resource to be available to many people, like the “lock” on the cabin my dad built in our woods, anyone can open it, it doesn’t even need a key, you just have to turn the little piece of wood so that the door can swing open.  We want hikers and anyone else who happens to be taking a stroll to have access to the cabin so the lock isn’t supposed to keep people out.  Then why have a lock in the first place, you ask?  In this case to prevent bears from getting in and ransacking the store of snacks we keep up there.  You might also want such a lock to say… prevent children from falling into a pool, while allowing access anyone who can work the lock.  There are any number of things one wants to make accessible to the general public, but also keep animals and unattended children out of.

Now what kind of a person might want a key that can open any lock?  I can think of only one kind of person who would like such a key, and it’s a person who intends to go where they’re not wanted.

So a lock that can be opened by any key is a great lock for someone generous who wants to share something, but a key that can open any lock is a key that’s only desirable if you have bad intentions