What global warming and the government shut down have in common are: - Very long-term problems - No quick solution for the problem - No easy solution for the problem - If you do nothing about the problem today, you have no immediate calamity. - Doing anything about the problem affects almost everyone - Doing anything causes serious change The Status Quo Police So, in both cases, people have emerged as the Status Quo Police. They take on the role of stopping change. They will do pretty much anything to defend & extend the status quo: - Ignore data that is contradictory to the best analytical views - Claim that small probability outcomes (that change may not be necessary) justifies doing nothing - Delay, delay, delay taking any action until a disaster requires action - Constantly claim that the cost of change is not justified - Claim that the short-term impact of change is more deleterious than the long-term benefits - Assume that the status quo will somehow resolve itself favorably – with no supporting evidence or analysis - Undertake any action that preserves the status quo - Threaten a “scorched earth policy” (that they will create big, immediate problems if forced to change the status quo)
Posted on: Tue, 01 Oct 2013 21:10:35 +0000
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