Don't read if you oppose thinking

Surprise! I know we got you suckered into this blog, so now I am going to pass on something I read recently from The Logic of Failure, by Deitrich Dorner. The book is about why humans fail so miserably at managing and understanding complex systems with many interconencted variables (such as an ecosystem), and what a person can do to avoid common pitfalls. Fascinating stuff. Anyways, I would like to share a quote with you...does it remind you of any politicians you have heard recently (or actors making plugs for pet projects, or the UN, or someone at work)? As a little bit of background, keep in mind that the book's showcase of spectacular failures (Chernobyl for one) were caused by people with the best of intentions and maybe even some or a lot of knowledge, but with little or no understanding of how to manage a complex system.

"In our political system, it would seem, we are surrounded on all sides with good intentions. But the nurturing of good intentions is an utterly undemanding mental exercise, while drafting plans to realize those worthy goals is another matter. Moreover, it is far from clear whether 'good intentions plus stupidity' or 'evil intentions plus intelligence' have wrought more harm in the world. People with good intentions usually have far less qualms about pursuing their goals. As a result, incompetence that would otherwise have remained harmless often becomes dangerous, especially as incompetent people with good intentions rarely suffer the qualms of conscience that sometimes inhibits the doings of competent people with bad intentions."

That last line is my favorite. That and the one about nurturing good intentions...it seems to me that political debates these days pretty much fall into that category...everyone has all these good intentions. And they sound really good because most people (not you now!) will never question beyond that. Now you can ask the question "Are they just that...nice thoughts?". Nice thoughts never put food on the table, I don't think. Now get out there and deflate someone's stand alone good intentions! Have a nice day.