Complex Systems Won’t Survive the Competence Crisis: Idiocracy Come To Life

I recently came across an analysis in Palladium Magazine with the title of the first part of the title of this post. (I added the second part.)

I highly recommend that you read the article. It's a bit long, but very insightful.

The gist of the analysis is that the world economy (really, most western economies and specifically discussing the U.S.) is losing performance competency in many key areas, and that as the quality of output in each of these key areas breaks down there will be a cascading effect throughout all of the complexly interrelated systems that keep modern societies and economies running.

As the article points out at its beginning:

While disasters like these [aforementioned in the article] are often front-page news, the broader connection between the disasters barely elicits any mention. America must be understood as a system of interwoven systems; the healthcare system sends a bill to a patient using the postal system, and that patient uses the mobile phone system to pay the bill with a credit card issued by the banking system. All these systems must be assumed to work for anyone to make even simple decisions. But the failure of one system has cascading consequences for all of the adjacent systems. As a consequence of escalating rates of failure, America’s complex systems are slowly collapsing.

This collapse of competency is, as the article clearly exposes, due to the DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) drive that is shaping government and the corporate world. BuiltIn.com tells us unwashed, unwoke and unenlightened that:

DE&I stands for diversity, equity and inclusion. As a discipline, DE&I is any policy or practice designed to make people of various backgrounds feel welcome and ensure they have support to perform to the fullest of their abilities in the workplace. This kind of environment is created by following all three aspects of DE&I.
...
Combining these three elements, DE&I is an ethos that recognizes the value of diverse voices and emphasizes inclusivity and employee well-being as central facets of success. To bring those values to life, companies must implement programs and initiatives that actively make their offices more diverse, equitable and inclusive spaces.

That's funny; it's always seemed to me that GETTING THE FRIGGIN' JOB DONE CORRECTLY AND IN A TIMELY MANNER was the central facets of success. But what do I know? I'm just an unwoke neanderthal, I guess, and I've had it wrong all along.

Essentially, the central thesis of the analysis is DEI is killing governmental and corporate business and herding us all down a dead end lane that will end in disaster with no way out.

The article points out several examples of the damage that DEI and DEI hires have caused over the last few years, but one in particular jumped out to me. Mind, this article was published in June of 2023, about eight months ago, but they called something that happened only recently.

Boeing, one of only two firms globally capable of mass-producing large airliners, has a particularly striking crisis unfolding in its institutional culture. Shortly after releasing the 737 MAX, 346 people died in two nearly identical 737 MAX crashes in Indonesia and Ethiopia. The cause of the crashes was a complex interaction between design choices, cost-cutting led by MBAs, FAA issues, the MCAS flight-control system, a faulty sensor, and pilot training. Meanwhile, on the defense side of the business, Boeing’s new fuel tanker, the KC-46A Pegasus is years behind on deliveries due to serious technical flaws with the fueling system along with multiple cases of Foreign Object Debris left inside the plane during construction: tools, a red plastic cap, and in one case, even trash. Between the issues at ATC and Boeing, damage to the U.S.’s phenomenal aviation safety record seems almost inevitable.

Now get this:

The Alaska Airlines plane lost its emergency exit door on January 5 - if I recall correctly - just three days before I am composing this post.

Reuters reported on December 28 Boeing urges 737 MAX inspections for possible loose bolt.

Boeing was known in times past for producing aircraft that millions of people around the world depended on in what has literally been life or death situations. The competency crisis - as the Palladium analysis states - is literally putting people's lives at risk for the sake of ...

... ensuring that people feel a sense of belonging in the workplace. [and] ... that every employee feels comfortable and supported by the organization when it comes to being their authentic selves.

Safety, security, profits, and the entire supply chain, economy and well-being of many people be damned!

What inspections of the now grounded planes are finding is chilling.

(One of my favorite DEI debacle is the ocean ditching of the U.S. Navy's P-8 $175,000,000 plane by the highly lauded first female crew.)

One could say that this was "almost prophetic," but really it was just common sense.

I have always said that the movie Idiocracy was not a work of fiction but a "future documentary." I just didn't know how quickly it'd come around and exactly what in particular would bring it on.

Now we know...

ETA: The first time I watched Idiocracy I laughed. I genuinely thought it was funny. I'm watching it again at the above link and, frankly, I'm having a hard time laughing at it. I'm finding it more depressing and even frightening than funny.

"My first wife was 'tarded. She's a pilot now."

Or maybe, "She works on the assembly line at Boeing now."

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a reply to: AwakeNotWoke

As the knowledge vs understanding gap widens, I find a forgotten civilization even more compelling.

Everything we rely on hangs by a thread.

originally posted by: JinMI
a reply to: AwakeNotWoke

As the knowledge vs understanding gap widens, I find a forgotten civilization even more compelling.

Everything we rely on hangs by a thread.

And there are entities and elements that are sawing away at that thread with malicious intent.

So are we suggesting that racism, sexisum and nepotism never interfered with "the best person geting and keeping the job" in the work force of yesteryear?

DEI has its flaws yes; but let us not dulled ourselves into thinking we are leaving behind a perfect system based on ameritocracy.

It would seem we are simply replacing one flawed system for another flawed system. Society functioned in the past, it will function in the future.

a reply to: AwakeNotWoke

I am a white footed deer mouse. I look at our technological society screwing up people and wonder how it has lasted this long. We are getting into a pretty risky situation.

We prefer to pay cash when we go shopping, or checks for bigger purchases. When you see the money coming out of your wallet, you are more cost conscious and you evaluate if you need things you buy with scrutiny. Credit cards tend to make people spend more, we have learned to pay them off every month to keep from paying interest and that practice also makes us watch more what we buy.

To combat high health care costs, we prepare lots of healthy meals from scratch. Using decent quality ingredients, a lot of which are organic or locally produced foods. I figured that by eating better, we have saved lots of copayments and deductibles over the years. plus, it keeps you busy preparing all those meals, less time to go out and spend money.

Most people do not have the time to prepare foods like we do, they are busy working, but the wife and I are retired so we have lots of time. So we also make foods to haul to the kids, like soups and stews and pasties and some homemade pies.

a reply to: AwakeNotWoke

I don't believe the Navy has ever released the names of the crew of the P-8 that overshot the runway at Kaneohe Bay in November, 2023. There's no evidence it was an all female crew. That "first all female crew of a P-8" story was about a crew in September, 2023 and was located in Florida.

originally posted by: Dandandat3
So are we suggesting that racism, sexisum and nepotism never interfered with "the best person geting and keeping the job" in the work force of yesteryear?

DEI has its flaws yes; but let us not dulled ourselves into thinking we are leaving behind a perfect system based on ameritocracy.

It would seem we are simply replacing one flawed system for another flawed system. Society functioned in the past, it will function in the future.

No, I'm not "suggesting" anything of the kind.

I'm looking at history and the reality staring us in the face now.

Yes, meritocracy works! When you are really qualified for a job and do it well, you should progress. If you suck at the job, the color of your skin or your (perverted) sexual orientation CANNOT AND WILL NOT make up for your incompetence.

Would you really be happy to fly on a plane that was built by people not qualified for the job, but hired because of their race or sexual deviation? Answer honestly: The qualifications and skill of people building the plane you will fly on really matters to you less than their skin color and who they like to bang? "... ensuring that people feel a sense of belonging in the workplace. [and] ... that every employee feels comfortable and supported by the organization when it comes to being their authentic selves," matters to you more than your own personal safety?

Or would you rather have your Big Mac prepared by someone with a solid work ethic and at least minimal culinary skills, or somebody with a bad attitude who might spit in your food but was taken on as a DEI hire? Because YES, it does come down to that.
Really, please answer honestly.

:

originally posted by: Boomer1947
a reply to: AwakeNotWoke

I don't believe the Navy has ever released the names of the crew of the P-8 that overshot the runway at Kaneohe Bay in November, 2023. There's no evidence it was an all female crew. That "first all female crew of a P-8" story was about a crew in September, 2023 and was located in Florida.

I may be mistaken on that point, but it in no way changes or weakens the point of my post.

When debit cards first came out I wass laughed at for saying they would replace cash and it was being done for eventual total control of our money.
When they came up with online banking some still thought me a kook.
As time goes by, far fewer people think that of me, and even less laugh at my 'wild' ideas.

They couldn't sell us on the chip, so they gave us all cell phones instead. They learned that people want luxuries and pleasure to the point of convincing themselves that any risks are minimal and worth taking.

Most live in the moment now and don't really give much thought to the consequences of todays' events 20/30/40 years down the road. I think there's still a belief and trust in government to tackle any problems we face in the future, while crazy conspiracies see the end of the road ahead if some major changes don't happen-and soon.

a reply to: nugget1

DAMN! I'm about 3/4 of the way through Idiocracy and it has DEI written all over it.



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a reply to: AwakeNotWoke

They didn't answer, of course. The Idiocracy people always run from facts and good logic.

a reply to: AwakeNotWoke

Thanks for the effort of creating this long, insightful thread.

Strangely, to me anyway, it jibs exactly what I've come to realize about the automotive industry where several factors come together to create a threatening crisis. First, high-tech comes together with legislated laws to create highly complex and vastly more expensive machines that are forced upon the markets. The result is a wildly increasing area of out-of-control madness where our automobiles are rolling hazards to our personal lives in being too expensive to fix.

The more complex they become with mandated bells and whistles, governmental mandates, and the credit necessary with which to buy these things, the more dangerous they come to personally bankrupting the owners that frequently cannot handle thousands of dollars in repair expenses of these machines. This aspect is a major portion of the US economy.

The further downside will be that outrageous repair costs already appearing will drive(!) more and more people to stick with older vehicles with fewer electronic parts. The industries, also driving by labor costs, are also pricing themselves out of their own markets. It may well be that the day is coming when the Western automotive industries will chiefly become the domain of small Asian vehicles that get the job done in a reasonable and respectable manner without having to sell a child or parts of one's body. In effect, individual vehicular transportation in America and elsewhere in the West is the remains of an old dream of personal independence that is growing more "wrong" in many ways.

Somebody once said, "Not everybody needs a horse. Yet everybody has a horse. Why? You have to feed 'em." If nobody said that, they should have....

originally posted by: AwakeNotWoke

originally posted by: Dandandat3
So are we suggesting that racism, sexisum and nepotism never interfered with "the best person geting and keeping the job" in the work force of yesteryear?

DEI has its flaws yes; but let us not dulled ourselves into thinking we are leaving behind a perfect system based on ameritocracy.

It would seem we are simply replacing one flawed system for another flawed system. Society functioned in the past, it will function in the future.

No, I'm not "suggesting" anything of the kind.

I'm looking at history and the reality staring us in the face now.

Yes, meritocracy works! When you are really qualified for a job and do it well, you should progress. If you suck at the job, the color of your skin or your (perverted) sexual orientation CANNOT AND WILL NOT make up for your incompetence.

Would you really be happy to fly on a plane that was built by people not qualified for the job, but hired because of their race or sexual deviation? Answer honestly: The qualifications and skill of people building the plane you will fly on really matters to you less than their skin color and who they like to bang? "... ensuring that people feel a sense of belonging in the workplace. [and] ... that every employee feels comfortable and supported by the organization when it comes to being their authentic selves," matters to you more than your own personal safety?

Or would you rather have your Big Mac prepared by someone with a solid work ethic and at least minimal culinary skills, or somebody with a bad attitude who might spit in your food but was taken on as a DEI hire? Because YES, it does come down to that.
Really, please answer honestly.

:

Why do you assume that without DEI you would necessarily get a plane built by people qualified to do their job's or a Big Mac made by someone without an attitude?

I don't understand the assumptions that DEI is displacing ameritocracy ... ameritocracy likely never really existed in the average work force.

a reply to: Dandandat3

Why do you assume that without DEI you would necessarily get a plane built by people qualified to do their job's or a Big Mac made by someone without an attitude?

I don't understand the assumptions that DEI is displacing ameritocracy ... ameritocracy likely never really existed in the average work force.

I'm not sure if you're serious, or just trolling the OP, considering what has already been posted in this thread.

originally posted by: Dandandat3
So are we suggesting that racism, sexisum and nepotism never interfered with "the best person geting and keeping the job" in the work force of yesteryear?

DEI has its flaws yes; but let us not dulled ourselves into thinking we are leaving behind a perfect system based on ameritocracy.

It would seem we are simply replacing one flawed system for another flawed system. Society functioned in the past, it will function in the future.

There is massive difference. You are talking about unimportant hires for a few perverts. I'm thinking secretary level. Yeah, it happens even now.

The racism one is not as clear cut. A construction worker who had bad experiences hires a white guy who fits the bill may be seen as racist, but the boss needs people to get on with each other.

There are plenty more such hires, which go by non standard hiring orders because we are complex beings. It also seems that some cultures have higher personal standards than others, whilst some jobs do not get better for hiring a woman or a man, depending on the job and the already existing team.

In the end, business owners, CEOs and team leaders want someone who is trustworthy and competent or their job will be on the line.
Now they have to pick people by skin colour or gender above someone really perfect, because it may be a white male, then working their way down the hate hierarchy.

Let's face it that's their biggest gripe. Like TDS, anything but good people they hate.

originally posted by: Dandandat3

originally posted by: AwakeNotWoke

originally posted by: Dandandat3
So are we suggesting that racism, sexisum and nepotism never interfered with "the best person geting and keeping the job" in the work force of yesteryear?

DEI has its flaws yes; but let us not dulled ourselves into thinking we are leaving behind a perfect system based on ameritocracy.

It would seem we are simply replacing one flawed system for another flawed system. Society functioned in the past, it will function in the future.

No, I'm not "suggesting" anything of the kind.

I'm looking at history and the reality staring us in the face now.

Yes, meritocracy works! When you are really qualified for a job and do it well, you should progress. If you suck at the job, the color of your skin or your (perverted) sexual orientation CANNOT AND WILL NOT make up for your incompetence.

Would you really be happy to fly on a plane that was built by people not qualified for the job, but hired because of their race or sexual deviation? Answer honestly: The qualifications and skill of people building the plane you will fly on really matters to you less than their skin color and who they like to bang? "... ensuring that people feel a sense of belonging in the workplace. [and] ... that every employee feels comfortable and supported by the organization when it comes to being their authentic selves," matters to you more than your own personal safety?

Or would you rather have your Big Mac prepared by someone with a solid work ethic and at least minimal culinary skills, or somebody with a bad attitude who might spit in your food but was taken on as a DEI hire? Because YES, it does come down to that.
Really, please answer honestly.

:

Why do you assume that without DEI you would necessarily get a plane built by people qualified to do their job's or a Big Mac made by someone without an attitude?

I don't understand the assumptions that DEI is displacing ameritocracy ... ameritocracy likely never really existed in the average work force.

This is Ameritocracy

originally posted by: Dandandat3

originally posted by: AwakeNotWoke

originally posted by: Dandandat3
So are we suggesting that racism, sexisum and nepotism never interfered with "the best person geting and keeping the job" in the work force of yesteryear?

DEI has its flaws yes; but let us not dulled ourselves into thinking we are leaving behind a perfect system based on ameritocracy.

It would seem we are simply replacing one flawed system for another flawed system. Society functioned in the past, it will function in the future.

No, I'm not "suggesting" anything of the kind.

I'm looking at history and the reality staring us in the face now.

Yes, meritocracy works! When you are really qualified for a job and do it well, you should progress. If you suck at the job, the color of your skin or your (perverted) sexual orientation CANNOT AND WILL NOT make up for your incompetence.

Would you really be happy to fly on a plane that was built by people not qualified for the job, but hired because of their race or sexual deviation? Answer honestly: The qualifications and skill of people building the plane you will fly on really matters to you less than their skin color and who they like to bang? "... ensuring that people feel a sense of belonging in the workplace. [and] ... that every employee feels comfortable and supported by the organization when it comes to being their authentic selves," matters to you more than your own personal safety?

Or would you rather have your Big Mac prepared by someone with a solid work ethic and at least minimal culinary skills, or somebody with a bad attitude who might spit in your food but was taken on as a DEI hire? Because YES, it does come down to that.
Really, please answer honestly.

:

Why do you assume that without DEI you would necessarily get a plane built by people qualified to do their job's or a Big Mac made by someone without an attitude?

I don't understand the assumptions that DEI is displacing ameritocracy ... ameritocracy likely never really existed in the average work force.

Most of the workforce, particularly the younger generation IMO, don't take their jobs seriously. Most workers do the bare minimum to get through a shift without a write-up. It can be a combination of workload, no upward mobility, and lack of incentives in the form of not offering pay raises, overtime, benefits, or bonuses. Quiet quitting is the term I've seen used when people have no reason to do more for less in the workplace.

It doesn't depend on affirmative action programs or the color of someone's skin to create and foster a system that doesn't acknowledge excelling in performance. A meritocracy can't exist if the corporate attitude is to offer no incentives for performance and treat their employees like a caste system or as slave labor.

a reply to: Dandandat3

How about doors blowing off of Boeing airplanes?

Either you didn't read the article I linked or your reading comprehension is near nil.

And clearly you are to argue from an emotional position as you only attempt to attack and question my thesis but are obviously unable to support your own argument with any facts. Next I expect you'll be calling my parentage into question or accusing me of being racist/homophobic/transphobic.

originally posted by: AwakeNotWoke
a reply to: Dandandat3

How about doors blowing off of Boeing airplanes?

Either you didn't read the article I linked or your reading comprehension is near nil.

And clearly you are to argue from an emotional position as you only attempt to attack and question my thesis but are obviously unable to support your own argument with any facts. Next I expect you'll be calling my parentage into question or accusing me of being racist/homophobic/transphobic.

Where is your evidence that the door blowing off of Boeings airplane is a direct result of DEI?