2007-09-16

Quality of solution

I used to be very critical and I am quickly in uncovering sub-optimal solutions. While this is an engine that gives you the opportunity of doing something good for the world by improving the situation it might create a negative aura around you.

The problem: You see a lot of problems to be solved and you want to help by pointing out but nobody wants to listen.
There is so much to improve in this world - too much. You see plenty of bad things done and a bunch of potential dangers in the way things are managed currently. You want to improve but you have so few time. You want to help and so you think notifying somebody about the dangers and traps is the minimum you can do. As you have so few time you hurry to the next problem...

The reason: People already have enough problems themselves and if you don't bring solutions you don't help them.
If you can't present a better solution then pointing to a bad situation can cause negative effects for you, because
  • you get considered egocentric or bigheaded/cocky
  • you are negative
  • the group you are talking to contains the architect of the current solution
The solution: There is a reason for everything that currently exists and it has a sense. If you can't improve the situation then it is better to do nothing.
Doing nothing or to wait (until you better studied the situation and environment) can be the better choice rather than making it worse. Accept that there are open issues and focus on those issues that seem most important to you and match with your fields of interest. Then search for solutions to particular problems in your area of expertise. Keep in mind that solutions might include several drawbacks but it is better to have a bad solution than having none. Accept to live with patches and workarounds - it's better than nothing. And guess: Maybe the solution you think best turns out to be even worse...

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