Saturday, October 25, 2014

STOP THE PROBLETENCE PANDEMIC!

 

THIS DOCUMENT CREATED ON MY 77th BIRTHDAY IS AIMED FOR WORLD WIDE CAMPAIGNS OF RADICALLY IMPROVING PROBLEM SOLVING SKILLS

A pandemic more dangerous than hundred Ebolas threatens humanity: Probletence.  The word is derived from “problem” and “impotence”; it describes the continuous decrease in ability to solve our most important, critical, painful problems in all the domains of human activity from politics to science and from education to economy. The unique partial exception is technology and this shows that Homo faber is our unique great hope, nobody else cares for us. If we cannot stop probletence, our future will be drowned in insoluble problems.
The roots and causes of Probletence are complex and in a dynamic evolution from bad to worse.

In so many cases the strong majorities are on the part of the Problem and the weak minorities only fight for the Solution.

Many people have realized that it is so much easier to live from the problems and make them permanent than creating change and building solutions

More frequently even the problem goes unrecognized or is misunderstood not the solution.

In too many cases in problem solving the means become more important than the aims and the attention is focused on the methods and not on the solution itself.

The memes of the problems are stronger and faster tan the memes of the solution and dominate; we live in a memecracy of problems.

Counterculture with its myriads of forms is more damaging than even the terrible weaknesses of the education system that
does not support critical and independent thinking, problem solving, change, creativity.

Incremental progress is more encouraged than genuine breakthroughs

Extreme specialization dominates over the great syntheses, deep understanding and creating a holistic and holographic vision for the most important problems.

Typically, urgent problems eat important problems for breakfast.
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All these are not new things however the problems as such become increasingly difficult inherently and many of them are already chronic petrified or unbelievably sticky- so probletence is constantly aggravating.

Then how can we stop Probletence? I am offering you thereby a solution for the problem Mother of all problems – an infallible set of 20 rules created by me as a modest contribution to the saving of the World.

RULES OF REAL LIFE PROBLEM SOLVING

Motto:
“I think, I exist. I decide, I live. I solve the problems, I live with a purpose.”

1. There are NO isolated problems, they always come in dynamic bunches.

2. There are NO final solutions for the really great problems, these have to be solved again and again.

3. NOT solving the problem, but defining it is the critical step.

4. NOT the unknown data, but those known and untrue are the greatest obstacles to the solution.

5. .NOT what we know, but what we don’t know is more important for solving the problem.

6. NOT the main desired positive effect, but those secondary negative and/or undesired effects decide in most cases if a solution is implemented.

7. NOT all problems have a complete, genuine solution.

8. NOT the solutions that seem perfect from the start, but those which are very perfectible are the best in many cases.

9. NOT the bright, shiny, spectacular solutions but those elaborated, worked out with difficulty and effort and patience are more valuable and have a larger area of applicability.

10. NOT the solutions that are logical and perfectly rational, but those that are adequate for the feelings of the potential users, even if they are illogical, have the greatest chances of fast implementation.

11. NOT the quality of the solution but the speed of its implementation is the decisive factor in many cases. It can be better to have a partial solution applied fast than a slower almost perfect solution.

12. NOT always long hours of hard work and great efforts, but (sometimes) relaxation and fun is the best way to obtain solutions for (awfully) difficult problems.

13. NOT our own problems, but the problems of other people are usually more boldly and creatively solved by us

14. NOT the solutions worked out by us, but those borrowed. bought or stolen from others are more easily accepted and implemented.

15. NOT the enhancement of human strengths but the limitation of human weaknesses is more useful for efficient problem solving.

16. NOT the very careful perfect planning, but the smart assuming of risks and firm decision taking are the practical keys to successful problem solving.

17. NOT always the existent, real problems, but many times the fictive, imaginary ones are the most difficult to be solved.

18. Do NOT accept the premises of the problem, but change them as necessary and possible.

19. Do NOT stop at the first solution, but seek for alternatives.
RULE- the most important of all;

20. NOT the wise application of these rules but the finding of the specific exceptions to these, is the real high art of problem solving.

The rules are inherently perfectible. Despite their broad applicability
including the most wicked problems and their availability in 20 languages the rules are till not taught in schools and are far from the stage of epidemic dissemination. This results in Humanity terrorized by myriads of unsolved, painful problems of all kind, by a worldwide epidemic of Probletence.

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Translations of the Rules





7 comments:

  1. Happy birthday wishes to you.

    Russ

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    Replies
    1. +1
      happy birthday, and wish you the best.

      By the way, thanks for the networking you do ;-)

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  2. Wish you many happy & healthy returns of your birthday Peter!

    I'm afraid Probletence is here to stay, not because we don't know what to do about it, but because status-quo is of great advantage for many of those who can do something about it. You said it well: Incremental progress is more encouraged than genuine breakthroughs. We are creatures of habit, and some of our habits must change if we are to survive. More of the same cannot possibly make things better. But maybe we should listen to the Buddhists: "Worrying won't take away tomorrows troubles; just today's peace."

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    Replies
    1. Thank you! It is my special privilege to receive wise commednts like yours.
      I think that applying the 20 Rules systematically could change the trend and also could solve well a lot of problems.The rules are actionable, a word I have used many times in my most recent writing re LENR- actionable parameters, actionable questions- you can make these to work for you.
      Best wishes,

      Peter

      PS Please help us (Mankind and me) in the fight against Probletence, use please the press of your Country!

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    2. Kan föle en vis stolthet av å ha samme födselsdag, som en mann som skriver slike kloke ord:)

      Delete
    3. Dear Tornbjorn,

      Thank you and belated but warm congrats for your birthday!

      Peter

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  3. So true! Especially in 2020.
    Delighted to read you!

    ReplyDelete