Our way of thinking about problems might be the problem

Our education system, our career guides, the way we do business and our life training has us think in silos and parts. 

Our default is parts – seeing only the part and not the whole. We are trained to be specialists. I definitely would like to see a specialist obstetrician for a complicated birth – there is a need for specialists.

However, we have neglected the importance of generalists, comprehensivists, and general training in whole systems thinking.

For years I spent my time trying to solve problems within the problem, without understanding the whole, the side effects, the precession, the externalities. 

I see so many people with great intentions do the same. 

We have large existential risks – with climate, exponential technology, biotech and AI. The solution to our problems does indeed require a whole new level of thinking, a whole systems approach. Unless we consider the whole our solutions might create more problems than the problem itself.

Photo taken September 8th 2022