Why it matters
The Shirky Principle, coined by Clay Shirky, claims that:
institutions will try to preserve the problem to which they are the solution.
In other words, institutions or entities that profit from solving a problem can end up prolonging it — in order to stay relevant. This creates bizarre incentives:
- Tax-filing companies lobby against government initiatives to simplify tax-filing processes. The companies benefit from the complexity of tax filing, as it drives demand for their software and services.
- Pharmaceutical companies make much more money managing medical conditions rather than curing them.
- The Military-Industrial Complex describes the relationship between the defense industry and the military. This relationship can self-perpetuate by stoking conflict to create demand for more military spending – thus requiring and preserving ongoing security threats.
Is it hard to believe that government agencies tasked with protecting the environment might hinder efforts by others to do the same?
This begs a bigger question: is humanity trapped in cycles where solutions always create problems?
Source: Delaware Department of Health and Social Services via @andercot
