Check 18 - Government - Evolution

The Hidden Power

Designs for action shall be put into practice in the knowledge and positive acceptance that feedback may result in their amendment.

Decisions, decisions: as we saw in the last episode, 150 per week per ministry, each spouting its share of paperwork like a photocopier out of control, swamping its surroundings with verbiage, utterly lacking in practical intent, and for anyone trying to see if the system works in any meaningful way - bewildering in its senselessness.

But who are the people who make these decisions? And what do they know, really? And what are they expecting to come of them? Contemplating these questions quickly draws one to the conclusion that we are watching a pantomime, a Punch and Judy show, that exists to conceal the pointless governmental machine that is out of control.

This principle does two things: it reframes these empty "decisions" in their ideal and realistic intent - to bring about beneficial change, as designs for action. And in being realistic, it is realistic about how plans - designs - need to be course-corrected on contact with reality: they need to evolve.

Talking points:

First and second order cybernetics: Dashboards, and people within the control system

Running the country: the pantomime and the possibilities

We would fail if we were politicians too

The risks of ineptitude: London as an instrument of Russian power

Market liberalisation as a decision - out of sight, out of mind

Financial crisis - absence of feedback!

Design authority in context: how to prevent ships sinking?

The spirit of improvement and learning, the operating principles

Every design for action is an experiment

Failure inquiries - here to learn, not to blame.

Root causes and purpose: Why is government here?

The promise of systems thinking: living in paradise, sufficiency

The four main benefits of feedback

The fundamental importance of good feedback

Systems sensibility

Factfulness: opinions based on strong supporting facts

7 psychological sins of investing

Psychological defensiveness

Labour and smoking: a day out

Presumption and personal experience

Links:

Dr. Fiona Hill on The Rachman Review:

https://play.acast.com/s/therachmanreview/comingtotermswithputinsrussia

Stein Ringen (youtube/RSA):

https://youtu.be/AHcfNy1_zqA

The Roslings on Factfulness (TED talk)

https://youtu.be/Sm5xF-UYgdg

Steven Pinker on the world getting better (TED talk)

https://youtu.be/yCm9Ng0bbEQ

Falsifiability - Karl Popper (wikipedia)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falsifiability

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