Eckmann-Hilton intuition for duoidal categories
# Intuition
By the Eckmann-Hilton argument, each time we have two monoids $(\ast,\circ)$ such that one is a monoid homomorphism over the other, $(a ∘ b) \ast (c ∘ d) = (a \ast c) ∘ (b \ast d)$, we know that both monoids coincide into a single commutative monoid.
However, an extra dimension helps us side-step the Eckmann-Hilton argument. If, instead of equalities or isomorphisms, we use directed morphisms, both monoids (which now may become 2-monoids) do not necessarily coincide, and the resulting structure is that of a duoidal category.