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October 14, 2005
Introspection , Thoughts : Challenge vs. Adapt
We all face problems in our lives, some large, some small. Whether it is an unjust law, or a rude waiter, there are two broad approaches to addressing any problem – you can challenge the problem to try and make it go away, or you can adapt to the problem and find someway to get what you want within the limitations of the situation. It all comes down to who is going to change, the individual or the situation.
Neither approach is "right". There are situations in life that call out for change. These are often problems that effect many people and therefore expecting the people to all change is unreasonable. On the other hand there are situations that call out for individuals to adapt – whether it is because the situation can not be changed (for instance individuals learning to adapt to disabilities) or where the current situation is only a problem for a few and changing to accommodate them will discomfort a much greater number. Of course, most real problems fall in between – where the proper resolution isn't obvious and it is up to us as individuals to make a judgment call whether to fight the situation or adapt to it.
There have been social trends which bias people towards one solution or another. In the 60's and early 70's, the bias was to challenge – to fix the things that were broken in the world, whether they be big (prejudice, poverty) or small (dress codes, hair styles). In the late 70's and 80's, the bias was towards adaptation - self-improvement and learning how to use "the system" to one's advantage. I'm not entirely sure where the bias is today; but given the tendency for people to blame others for their problems, I think we may be back to a preference to challenge rather than adapt.
As an engineer, my personal bias has always been towards adapting. Engineering is all about being told "You have 8 rubber bands, 10 sheets of paper, 6 tooth picks, 3 feet of string, and an egg. Now build something that will let you drop the egg without cracking". When an engineer is presented with such a problem they know asking for a sheet of foam rubber is not an option. Engineering is all about dealing with constraints – even if the only constraints are time or money. The first step in any engineering problem is understanding what you have to work with, and then you figure out how to solve the problem with what you have. Occasionally you can get away with challenging the constraints you are given; but an engineer who does that too often is not respected. Real respect comes from solving a problem under constraints that everyone else thinks are impossible.
My observation is that spending years being paid to find ways to adapt to constraints at work has inevitably had an effect on my personal life. When I run into problems, my first reaction is to find some way to work around them – to take the limitations presented to me as a given and then find a way to get what I want despise those limitations. The idea of challenging the rules, asking other people to change, comes slowly to me, if at all. If someone's a jerk, I assume they will always be a jerk and find a way to work around them. The idea of complaining about them doesn't occur to me.
I'm not saying this is right – there are almost certainly times when I should be challenging my environment instead of adapting to it. My comment is only that I think I have come to understand where my personal bias comes from. It's an "engineer thing".
Posted by Steven at October 14, 2005 11:04 AM
Comments
Bug... or Feature???
Posted by: Anne at October 14, 2005 11:37 AM
