Disastrous Decisions and You
Aug. 24th, 2005 08:47 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
livingdebOne chapter in Diamond's Collapse is titled "Why Do Some Societies Make Disastrous Decisions?"
His answers are 1) failure to anticipate, 2) failure to perceive, 3) rational bad behavior, 4) disastrous values, 5) other irrational failures, and 6) unsuccessful solutions.
I think the key point is that some kinds of horrible consequences are not immediate. They take time to develop, and sometimes even to notice, even if in the end they are so disastrous as to destroy your entire civilization. And in this situation it is all too easy for us to ignore the problem or to keep putting off doing something about it.
I can easily imagine things that individuals might not do that can ultimately be disastrous for their own well-being (let alone the well-being of society at large):
I think most of us are on the ball in some areas and messed up in other areas. I'm good with the financial planning, making it to work every day, staying out of trouble with the law, and having enough fun. I put off maintenance chores of all kinds. I'm not good at noticing change that I should be responding to, with the exceptions of economic changes and getting dumped. I'm only slowly learning about office politics, although fortunately I'm naturally polite, except when I'm accidentally ignoring people. Or nearly running them over while careening around a corner, though I'm especially careful when I have freshly sharpened pencils.
What are you good at? And what can use some work? And what am I missing in the above list?
His answers are 1) failure to anticipate, 2) failure to perceive, 3) rational bad behavior, 4) disastrous values, 5) other irrational failures, and 6) unsuccessful solutions.
I think the key point is that some kinds of horrible consequences are not immediate. They take time to develop, and sometimes even to notice, even if in the end they are so disastrous as to destroy your entire civilization. And in this situation it is all too easy for us to ignore the problem or to keep putting off doing something about it.
I can easily imagine things that individuals might not do that can ultimately be disastrous for their own well-being (let alone the well-being of society at large):
- get enough exercise, sleep, water, nutrients, and medicines to stay in working order
- get enough fun, socializing, and thinking to stay in working order
- get into situations where you do well (supportive friends, relatives, co-workers, subculture, etc.)
- use enough caution with addictive substances
- be careful (wear seat belts, helmets, goggles; pay attention to what you're doing; keep forks out of toasters; get regular medical check-ups, etc.)
- maintain job skills and accomplishments in your field
- attend to office politics
- maintain and insure housing, transportation, etc.
- develop back-up relationships, job skills, hobbies, resources, etc.
- save for retirement
- stay out of unproductive debt
- refrain from breaking laws
I think most of us are on the ball in some areas and messed up in other areas. I'm good with the financial planning, making it to work every day, staying out of trouble with the law, and having enough fun. I put off maintenance chores of all kinds. I'm not good at noticing change that I should be responding to, with the exceptions of economic changes and getting dumped. I'm only slowly learning about office politics, although fortunately I'm naturally polite, except when I'm accidentally ignoring people. Or nearly running them over while careening around a corner, though I'm especially careful when I have freshly sharpened pencils.
What are you good at? And what can use some work? And what am I missing in the above list?