The Mess in My Head

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In my adult life, I’ve seen systems that don’t work. In many countries, under different economic practices, different regimes, nationalities, or religions. Practically, these systems haven’t worked well for years. They were founded for a good, even noble, reason, but as the world evolved, they never adjusted to progress and eventually eroded until the gap became so enormous it was impossible to bridge. Technically, we still maintain them since no one has developed an alternative, and we practically cannot stop them because they are rooted so deeply in society that it’s almost impossible to do anything about them.

Over the years, when I encountered something that didn’t work or was completely broken, I got mad, angry, and complained, but that was it. In the rush of life, what else could I do? I was never in a position to do anything about anything.

During the COVID-19 lockdown, thinking about what doesn’t work in this world came back more often than before. However, suddenly I had more time to think about everything and wonder. I tried to imagine talented people trying to lead drastic changes in education, health, geopolitics, economy, financing, housing, construction, and even entertainment, but I couldn’t. Not even with substantial money and resources, and not even as leaders of countries. The problems have become so big and enormous that no one could handle them in a lifetime, when the average lifespan is around 80 years.

It’s discouraging not to see a solution even in the imagination. After all, what is the imagination for if not creating the impossible? But seriously, what does it mean when so many things don’t work? Everybody knows that, but knowingly focuses on everything else except fixing what doesn’t work? Is that why boards of directors choose executives, or why the people select their representatives? To maintain systems built a century or more ago, or actually do something by doing the hard work?

Apparently, people like to keep their positions, cash their paychecks, and not rock the boat. This becomes more convenient and necessary, especially if they know that they do not have the skills and experience to hold the position in the first place. When that becomes more common, it becomes more legitimate, and this is how societies fall.

When I couldn’t find an answer or even an imaginable solution to any of the problems I had seen from the narrow point of view of a human and citizen of this world, and since it was