Unintended Consequences: Or Why Do Bad Things Happen to Good Decisions?

by Clive Wills

Overview

How is it that, in doing our very best to achieve one thing, we can end up achieving just the opposite? There exists an unseen force with an unassuming name that conceals all manner of terrors. It is ‘Unintended Consequences’, and it takes our efforts to do the good and right thing, turns them to ashes and blows them back in our faces. Whether it be governments fighting a “War on Terror” only to bring their economies crashing about their ears, ecologists attempting to stamp out pests but making things ten times worse in the process, or giving people lots of choice only for them to make worse decisions, it is all too easy to start out with the best of intentions, only to end up doing more harm than good. In Unintended Consequences, Clive Wills discusses national disasters, Prohibition and the War on Drugs, frustrated efforts to improve health and safety, and touches on issues of everyday life such as how to improve relationships and bring up children. As HL Mencken reflected, “For every complex problem, there is a solution that is simple, neat, and wrong”. This book examines the many ways in which those apparently simple solutions can turn around and bite us, and more importantly, just what we can do about it.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781789042894
Publisher:	Hunt, John Publishing
Publication date:	05/01/2020
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	217
File size:	367 KB

About the Author

Clive Wills' fascination for the subject of unintended consequences was triggered many years ago during his study of Economics. Since then he has obtained a degree in Philosophy at Kings College, London, and has worked for many years in business affairs within the music business.
Clive Wills' fascination for the subject of unintended consequences was triggered many years ago during his study of Economics. Since then he has obtained a degree in Philosophy at Kings College, London, and has worked for many years in business affairs within the music business.

Table of Contents

Introduction 1

Chapter 1 "The best-laid plans of mice and men…" 7

Chapter 2 "Why won't you do what we think is best for you?" 36

Chapter 3 How can I stop screwing up? 62

Chapter 4 "Ouch!" - Why did that backfire? 90

Chapter 5 Scientific progress - that's a good thing, right? 107

Chapter 6 Surely trying to protect people can't be bad? 132

Chapter 7 Can bad intentions turn out for the good? 149

Chapter 8 The upside - unlooked for benefits 154

Chapter 9 So - how can we do good better? 163

References 174