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Sometimes it's better to do nothing
Tuesday, 29 August 2006
One of the key philosophies of modern common-sense is that action is always the best strategy. You can see it in the "just do it", "highly effective people", "getting things done" and "power of now" tone to most personal development books. The underlying idea is that inaction is the root cause of many problems.
Like most self-help clichés, the "act powerfully, act now" one is a huge over-simplification. In many situations, it's better not to take action at all, leaving things to work themselves out without interference.
A graphic example is given by recent studies of physical injuries during war. What could demand more need for urgent and motivated action than a wounded soldier lying on the battlefield?
Surprisingly, many doctors are now questioning whether immediate medical attention following physical injury is the right path to take. Some think the seriously injured body may be better left to self-repair in the moments following physical trauma, rather than being interfered with.
This finding is supported by comparisons of survival rates following injuries in the Falklands and Vietnam Wars. During Vietnam, helicopter support allowed injured soldiers to be cared for within minutes. Often, they received blood-transfusions and the like before even being evacuated from the battlefield. Despite this, survival rates were poor.
In the Falklands War, night battles, poor weather and lack of helicopter support meant many soldiers were left on the battlefield hours after sustaining injuries. Amazingly, under these conditions survival rates following physical trauma were much higher than in Vietnam. The human body, if left alone, dealt with the problem better than well-equipped medical experts.
This finding is so counter-intuitive, that it's almost painful to consider. Our whole society is so wedded to the idea that action is always better, especially in emergencies, that it's difficult to come to terms with findings that are opposed to that philosophy. Our first instinct is to reject the idea as abhorrent.
And this is only one area where it's been found medical care isn't always the best solution to health problems. A recent study in Switzerland found that surgeons undergo surgery much less often than the average person. Another study found mechanics put their cars in for repair less often than average. The conclusion is that such professions recommend procedures to their customers that are unnecessary. Procedures they wouldn't undergo themselves under similar circumstances.
Economics is another area where the counter-intuitive strategy of doing nothing is often beneficial. Many people think governments should be interfering in the economy to improve it - by subsidizing key industries, protecting workers, encouraging exports and the like. Yet historical experience shows clearly that the free-market is the best way to generate economic wealth. Doing nothing produces spectacular results, while action in the form of interference in the market is counter-productive.
I suspect part of the reason so many people are opposed to free-market economics is because they can't bring themselves to believe that not interfering is better. "Surely we're clever enough to improve it somehow?" they think.
Apparently not.
Most people can see examples of well-meaning action having negative effects in their own lives. Think of the endless red-tape employees at big corporations have to deal with. In trying to improve things, the companies tie up their staff in unproductive form-filling. Big companies and government organizations waste huge amounts of money on useless documentation, all driven by the good intentions, energy, and "go get it" motivation of those designing the systems.
Parents also interfere when in many cases they should take a more philosophical approach to their children's upbringing. When I was growing up, it was the kids from strict households that often had the most difficulty dealing with the adult world. Their parents put too much effort into improving their children.
In their teenage years, such kids often dabbled in drugs, sex and alcohol simply to rebel against their stifling home-life. At the same time, parents who trusted their kids often found they turned out more ready to deal with the harsh truths of reality.
I'm not saying there aren't circumstances under which highly-motivated action is the best strategy. I'm simply pointing out that it isn't always the cure-all a lot of people would have you believe. Real-life isn't simple enough to be explained in one pithy sentence such as "just do it".
In most circumstances, you should examine the likely outcome of your actions before taking them. Be able to put your ego on hold for long enough to consider that your interference in the affairs of the world may lead to negative outcomes.
Sometimes it's better to do nothing. It's a hard lesson to swallow, but one that ultimately leads to more successful results.
More information about how inaction can help physical trauma is available here. More information about surgeons having less surgery than average is available here.
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