Showing all posts in The Point

Quality of Rules

Good rules are like an elevator; 95% doesn’t go to the top. Or, like a bridge that spans 95% of a river, “almost perfect” rules mostly get in everybody’s way. But, why would anyone do a rush job of making rules?

Those who make the most rules are most likely to break them. They really don’t care about following their rules. So, turbo-rule makers don’t need rules that work to fulfill their own, personal reasons for making rules.

Excessive, almost-across-the-river rules seem wise, to those who don’t need to follow them. Actually, it’s addiction… or an unneeded bureaucrat justifying his own job.  · · · →

Who’s Yer Boss?

Innovation is at a standstill because tech industries have too many chiefs and not enough Indians. Manufacturers in Asia want to be like Western brands, but they reject the Western methods of consulting for their creative brainstorming. Asia wants the face of the West without the mind.

Looking back at the lingering civil wars in China and Korea from 60 years ago, not much has changed. “Blackmail by tears” from controlling mothers and self-made victims in America aren’t different either. It’s as if everyone has their own problems they hope to solve by bossing someone else. After failing, they blame God.  · · · →

Fear Cycle of Placebo

Fear brings the tendency for a preemptive attack. “€œDo to others before they do to you,”€ so our fears say. It seems like wisdom. We call it “prevention”. And we convince many people to support us. Then we beat the opponent to the punch.

Soon after our first-strike, our enemy hits back. “See! See!”€ we say. “€œHe wanted to hit us! The world is full of dangerous people! Cut them off at the pass!”€ So begins military buildup, escalation, alliances, espionage, strategy, planning, analysis…

But has any quantitative analysis ruled out that preemptive solutions to conflict could be self-fulfilling placebos?  · · · →

Contribute Collectively

Everyone can lift or lean, whether in prayer, politics, family, or economics.

Even in sports and online gaming, when a team is losing, some players seem to think that “blamer mode” will cause a comeback. Then there are players who keep going, despite verbal vomit from their own team and even their own coach.

They say that the “disarming” types of people are more focused on the people they interact with than anything else. We naturally trust those who don’t nanny because they don’t need a nanny.

It’s generally a personal choice. But it can also be a group choice.  · · · →