ProblemSolving

ProblemSolving is a text document stored in the UTHA terminal.

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Solving the Wrong Problem

From L.D. Armand's Can You Point Me In The Direction Of A Better Timeline?:

"Humans are problem-solvers," is a quote frequently associated with my friend Alexandra Drennan. It's become a meme on the internet, used both ironically and not - though Alexandra, of course, is entirely earnest in her dedication to humanity (1). It's a great thought and vital to understanding our species. But it's also not entirely as simple as that.

Take, for example, the recent extinction of the orangutan and the ensuing conversation about the dangers of unknown pathogens released by human activity. Most of us agree that a problem exists. And, significantly, most of us believe that something ought to be done about it. So we've identified the problem and we have collectively decided to act.

So why is nothing happening?

That's a serious question. A great deal of effort is expended on raising awareness, but I would like to suggest that sometimes our problem-solving impulses can get stuck on the wrong goals. Awareness is not the issue. We've already convinced people that something needs to change! So if nothing changes, we have to wonder: why is the will of the people not being translated into action?

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(1) She's also capable of being devastatingly sarcastic, but that's another story for another book.