Monday, August 06, 2012

Better decisions


If the people who make the decisions are the people who will also bear the consequences of those decisions, perhaps better decisions will result.
           -- John Abrams

I'm sure. A lot of the time. But not always!
For example, it's practically a cliché, the woman who exclusively chooses men who are really bad for her. Not uncommon at all. One of my best friends is like that. Pretty and lovely person. And intelligent. But somehow she always hooks up with men, sometimes for years, who she later bitterly regrets. Some even hit her.

4 comments:

DeltaCubed said...

John Abrams, in his book The Company We Keep: Reinventing Small Business for People, Community, and Place was, of course, not referring to the self-destructive, pathologic behavior that many of us exhibit in our personal lives. As Abrams says, "This is a book about a different way of doing business in today's world--a way based on workplace democracy, shared ownership, staying small, building community, commitment to a place, and long term thinking." I too had a friend, like yours, that repeatedly made these bad decisions and paid the ultimate price, her life.

Eolake Stobblehouse said...

Sad to hear.

I've no doubt Abrams' book is very good. Thanks.

Bruce said...

Group decisions have counterexamples as well. The Tragedy of the Commons for example.

Almost any kind of organization needs some rules to protect people from their bad decisions. In a strict monoculture the rules are learned before joining a particular organization, but they are still there.

I think I will check out the book though, it looks interesting. I don't think existing rules of employment protect or motivate employees very well.

Andy Cooper said...

It's unfortunate but nice, safe guys aren't exciting or interesting to most women.