Sometimes There Are No Easy Answers

In life, we’re all looking for the silver bullet. It’s the one thing that makes everything else easier or more solvable. However, life is more complicated than that. Rarely are there simple solutions to complex problems. This doesn’t mean we shouldn’t strive for simple solutions wherever we can, but it shouldn’t be our only approach. We need to be humble enough to know that some things are beyond our grasp and require significant effort.

We are living in interesting times. External events are having a significant impact on our daily lives. Whether it’s the COVID pandemic, global warming, simmering political discontent, underlying racial tension, or a volatile economic environment, it feels like there are many forces trying to pull us apart and make life more difficult. It helps to accept the fact that, yes, life can be difficult at times. No one operates in a bubble devoid of outside influences or consequences. To quote the Rolling Stones, “you can’t always get what you want…”

We should take a moment to think things through a bit more, rather than looking for an easy answer by electing a political candidate, overestimating the knowledge of a talking head, or blaming someone else and expecting the problem to go away. We need to “own” our problems if we want to solve them. And owning them means working to fully understand what has happened and why, as well as thoroughly exploring our options for resolution. If humankind has demonstrated anything, it is our ability to rectify issues after creating chaos. We all must inhabit the same space, so why not work together to make it better? Does it really have to reach such a dire state before forcing us to act responsibly?

When you rely on science for your survival, it makes no sense to be anti-science. It also doesn’t help to be overly critical of the imperfection of science when it’s approaching unfamiliar problems. Science, like life, is a “learn as you go” process in many ways. When you are dealing with human lives, caution is always the preferred strategy. Anyone can criticize from the rearview mirror. What’s more important is where we are going and how we get there. There is and always will be value in expertise; we should embrace this concept. It’s acceptable to question everything, but avoid doing so out of intellectual laziness or for the sake of argument.

Under pressure, many of us shut down and close off to new ideas. It seems much safer to listen to people who validate our existing beliefs rather than wade into the discomfort of having our preconceived notions challenged. The world is a complex place. No one has all the answers. We are constantly encountering new information. In this environment, it’s critical that we adjust and adapt as the situation changes. There is no one ideology, philosophy, religion, or person who will be the guide for you through this journey. We must be open to new thinking, or we may find ourselves overwhelmed by the problems we confront.

Unfortunately, it is much easier for people to be “anti” something rather than “pro” something. If I don’t fully understand the situation or have the answers myself, it’s much easier to be critical of someone else who seems more certain or clearer. It bothers me that so many of us are much more willing to criticize others’ work than to step up ourselves. At the very least, we should all strive to deepen our understanding of situations or problems before hastily drawing conclusions or forming strong opinions. If we do not know what we are talking about, we should listen to those who do. Taking a nihilistic attitude, where you can’t believe anything you hear from anyone, is a road that leads to nowhere good.

I also believe that consensus has received a bad rap. For whatever reason, as a society, we seem more interested in forcing the argument than finding the solution. In a free and democratic society, people need to negotiate and compromise to find common ground. If you refuse to budge just because you can or have philosophical differences with the other side, then what does that ever truly accomplish? NOTHING. In evolutionary terms, long-term stasis leads to extinction.

When you run a business, it is clear that you cannot behave like a dictator and constantly instruct everyone on what to do. This may work for a brief period, but you will quickly bump up against what you don’t know or can’t do. You need to rely on other people. What you quickly learn is that you must leverage the knowledge, experience, and diversity of thought of those around you and sometimes even defer to their perspective. This is how life should work. I’m all for a good debate when debating is productive. However, prolonged debate can sometimes be counterproductive. Just look at our Congress.

Sometimes there are no easy answers in life. It’s just the way it is. Countries, states, communities, organizations, businesses, and families must all deal with difficulties beyond their capacity to grasp and initially respond to at times. Believe it or not, such challenges can even be a positive thing. This process is how we grow and make progress. If life were too simple, it wouldn’t be so rewarding. It’s through addressing adversity that we grow as human beings. I question the theory that “what doesn’t kill us only makes us stronger.” What I do believe is that every effort put forth towards becoming smarter, better, more resilient, and situationally adaptive only increases our chances of survival.

It feels like we are at a critical juncture in history. Many people have likely written similar essays at different times, sharing this sentiment. All I can truly feel is what I have or am experiencing at any given time. While others’ past experiences are informative, they have minimal lasting emotional resonance for any of us in the present. And it’s an emotion that leads to both good and bad actions. I am confident that we can work together to solve the problems we face. The only way to survive a crisis or challenge is to first accept that it exists and then work TOGETHER to find the strength and wisdom to identify options and implement the best solutions. We need to channel our emotions into positive, collective action rather than divisive, petty, and ill-informed behavior. The challenges or difficulties we overcome (or not) are what will define us.