If it was just infinite ways for shoelaces to improperly knot then headphones would also not properly knot and easily untangle by pulling one end. But that doesn’t happen.
The difference is from the physics of lengths of string/wire and the shoelaces are under tension while headphone wires aren’t.
Shoelaces have a “proper” knot while headphones do not. If we were tying our shoes into the abominations I pull out of my pocket, maybe that’d play out differently.
If it was just infinite ways for shoelaces to improperly knot then headphones would also not properly knot and easily untangle by pulling one end. But that doesn’t happen.
The difference is from the physics of lengths of string/wire and the shoelaces are under tension while headphone wires aren’t.
shoelaces can be a tangled mess yet not properly knotted
Shoelaces have a “proper” knot while headphones do not. If we were tying our shoes into the abominations I pull out of my pocket, maybe that’d play out differently.
I wouldn’t care as much if shoelaces tangled themselves into a knot that took extra work to untie.
I have some laces that I double tie and they still untie themselves.