Reacting and Overreacting

America doesn't react, we overreact. What might be a corrective that happens in a timely and thoughtful pace, has to be immediate and happen all at once. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion programs are necessary, but for some people, they go too far. So, instead of re-thinking and maybe recalibrating our efforts, the programs are eliminated. Overreaction. 

Say someone wants to lose ten pounds, one way to react is to simply cut off their leg. Problem solved. That works for the weight loss goal, but it’s a ridiculous overreaction. But that is happening with government cuts. Instead of thoughtfully and wisely making reductions, we slash indiscriminately. Taking time to improve diet, sleep, and exercise doesn’t get the immediate ten pound reduction so our impatience might  also be blamed.

In Dr. Jean Twenge’s book Generations she created a name for the next generation: Polars. The Polars are born between 2013 and 2029 so they haven't come of age and a third aren’t even born. While the Millennials and Gen Z struggle to figure things out and navigate the chaos of the new age, the Polars are living through it. They will have weathered the COVID pandemic, the unprecedented natural disasters, and the melting of the polar ice caps and the polarization in our country. They are being tested by fire. 

In our effort to “move fast and break things” we often go too far. The way to limit that is to look at things from another perspective, planfully implement a reasonable reaction, and be patient with the results. I don’t think we want to wait for the Polars to come along and fix things; if we have the will, we can do it.