Current examples of unsourced problems

Vigorous Application of Derivative Thinking to Derivative Problems (Part #3)

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Indebtedness: Attention is currently given in many countries to the need for austerity measures as a consequence of the accumulation of public debt. The appropriateness of the strategy is contested because of the wider consequences for many of the budget tightening process of institutions. Both public indebtedness and austerity measures are now recognized as problematic. Public demonstrations are currently made against austerity measures.

It is however intriguing to note how little is said about the origin of public indebtedness or of the personal indebtedness now exacerbated by austerity measures -- an enabling factor being simply framed as "easy credit", enabled by predatory lending. The emphasis of protestors is on alleviating the severity of austerity measures. There is little sense of the process whereby indebtedness increased in the first place -- or on why it might continue to increase if austerity measures were to be set aside. Is the "easy credit" argument to be compared with an unconstrained response to "cheap booze" -- or does the issue merit more careful attention?

On a larger scale, one response to the challenges of financial constraint has been the implementation of quantitative easing. Otherwise known as "printing money", this had previously been deprecated as a mark of fiscal imprudence. Increasingly seen as vital to continued economic growth, there is little exploration of the possibility that the economic model on which it is based is essentially unsustainable. Such a question would endanger the professional career of anyone asking it.

Natural disasters: Most notably hurricanes and floods, these are highly destructive of homes, enterprises, infrastructure and crops. Curiously the incidence of these phenomena is reasonably well-known, whether or not they are framed as exceptional in any given case. The damage can be readily deplored. More curious is the narrow focus of the questions regarding the phenomena in media coverage and official investigations. The consequences of progressive destruction of upstream woodlands and "river management", previously capable of mitigating floods, are avoided. The manner in which building authorizations are issued is avoided -- as is particularly evident with respect to requests for such authorization in flood plain areas subsequent to any disaster. The responsibility of those seeking to live in such areas is avoided -- however disastrous the effects experienced -- even after they have been experienced on several previous occasions. (Disastrous Floods as Indicators of Systemic Risk Neglect implications for authoritative response to future surprises, 2011)

Media irresponsibility: Much is made of media responsibility in forming public opinion on any issue. There is increasing awareness of the extent to which the media may be controlled by corporations or governments, or a combination of both in support of undeclared agendas. With the development of alternative sources of information via the web, there is also increasing awareness of the extent to which coverage of particular topics may be limited or suppressed -- as exemplified by reporting in Turkey of the 2013 protests there. Curiously the business model of the media is highly dependent on the advertising to which people are ever more exposed.

More curious however is the extent to which competing products each use a panoply of superlatives to acclaim their own as "the best" without there being any question that this knowingly constitutes "misleading advertising". There is little sense that this constitutes a process through which the public is systematically educated in the incredibility of information channelled by the media. A degree of legitimacy is sought through requests for feedback which it becomes increasingly obvious is culled for preferred responses -- thus exacerbating lack of confidence in what is broadcast. What is the significance of complicity in such processes for the progressive erosion of the possibility of consensus and governability (Abuse of Faith in Governance: Mystery of the Unasked Question, 2009, Ungovernability of Sustainable Global Democracy? 2011, The Consensus Delusion, 2011).

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