Category Archives: Unintended consequences

On Mulling – an April 1st Lexicon

Posted on April 1, 2022 by Patrick_Beautement

In response to a comment from a mathemagician (see Note 1) I know, I offer this short lexicon on ‘mulling‘ (q.v. – see Note 2): miller: one who engages in mulling (q.v – see also muller NB: there will be … Continue reading →

Posted in Academic complexity, Humour, Learning, Unintended consequences | Leave a comment

Chernobyl – Will Putin release nuclear material?

Posted on March 17, 2022 by Patrick_Beautement

If he is going to do so then the next week or two gives him a perfect opportunity. [Updated 21 April 2022] A new weather system is devloping such that a release of atomic material from Chernobyl would be blown … Continue reading →

Posted in Conflict and War, Federation, Social Media, Uncategorized, Unintended consequences | Leave a comment

When technology alienates people

Posted on March 12, 2022 by Patrick_Beautement

A friend sent me an email this week expressing his rage at the way we are treated by big tech – that reasonable people are being made into ‘cyberoutlaws’. He said: “… everyday someone’s b**tard web site changes or there … Continue reading →

Posted in Appropriateness, Change, Experienced complexity, Relationships, Risk, Social Media, The marginalised, Unintended consequences | Leave a comment

Coronavirus (COVID-19) A unique response – Why?

Posted on March 5, 2020 by Patrick_Beautement

[Updated March 2022, see square brackets] Coronavirus analysis: The world response makes no sense – it’s unique in the last 150 years of human history. Why would countries cripple their economies and shut down their populations? [Setting up conditions of … Continue reading →

Posted in Medical, Prediction, Probability, Risk, Social Media, Unintended consequences | Leave a comment

Populism ‘Fake News’, ‘Alternative Facts’ and Democracy

Posted on January 11, 2019 by Patrick_Beautement

Are fake news and alternative facts undermining humanity’s ability to take decisive, often unpopular, action on difficult challenges Continue reading →

Posted in Change, Influence, Learning, Possibilities, Prediction, Probability, Reflection, Relationships, Social Media, Unintended consequences | 1 Comment

Why are ‘unintended consequences’ almost inevitable?

Posted on February 1, 2018 by Patrick_Beautement

We so often hear politicians, managers and those in positions of authority wailing about the ‘unintended consequences’ of their actions – or worse, excusing damaging outcomes with a shrug of the shoulders and saying “But they were unintended consequences …” … Continue reading →

Posted in Appropriateness, Change, Contextual complexity, Experienced complexity, Influence, Natural complexity, Opportunities, Organisational forms, Practice, Prediction, Probability, Purposeful, Risk, Transformation, Transition, Unintended consequences | 2 Comments

Applying Complexity Thinking to the Real World

Posted on February 1, 2018 by Patrick_Beautement

PRINCIPLES FOR [BRINGING ABOUT] EFFECTIVE CHANGE IN [REAL-WORLD] PRACTICE The eleven ‘Principles of Practice’ below have been derived from the experiences of practitioners (people who are responsible for bringing about real-world change) which are discussed in a companion book “Complexity … Continue reading →

Posted in Adaptation, Agility, Appropriateness, Change, Complexity Demystified, Complexity-worthiness, Contextual complexity, Experienced complexity, Influence, Liveable cities, Natural complexity, Opportunities, Possibilities, Practice, Prediction, Purposeful, Reflection, Transformation, Transition, Unintended consequences | 2 Comments