Confronting Complexity in Society Essay (Critical Writing)

Exclusively available on Available only on IvyPanda® Made by Human No AI

The complexity’s main premise is that nothing is simple or straightforward. The more complexity is studied, the more we come to understand its emotions. Humanity naturally gravitates toward complexity because of its sheer ubiquity (Casti et al., 2016). Complex thought is challenging, but it has become very popular throughout human history. This is also a result of complexity’s escalating complexity. Complexity has the drawback of being unstable without effort. A system is more susceptible to failure the more separate components it contains. Fraud and mistakes are inevitable when there is complexity. It is challenging to manage any complicated system, be it a corporation, a military operation, or a daily ritual (Jackson, 2019). Unintended and unforeseen repercussions may result from access to one of the constituent elements, which unavoidably has an impact on the other.

It is important to give a thorough account of the complexity and its components. The main aspect of complicated thinking may be the boundary criticism process (Sapaty, 2019). The difficulty in defining these boundaries is one of the things that makes life intriguing. All orders are only transient patterns that are the outcome of a filtering process or are established based on personal ideals (O’Neill Jr & Nalbandian, 2018). To comprehend how they influence the context of interest and how the context of interest molds them, they are somewhat arbitrary and require ongoing adjustment. Although it is challenging to define boundaries, it is necessary to confront the complexity.

One cannot entirely rely on any one point of view since all limits are subjective. Because they only tell a portion of the tale, one-paradigmatic techniques are dangerous (Sapaty, 2019). These opinions may be compared to stakeholders in a way since they all have a stake in winning the battle of ideas and being seen as relevant and significant (Jackson, 2019). Of course, being aware of many viewpoints makes it possible to critique limits more successfully. Although it is a complicated procedure, it might be difficult to resist complexity in any form if one does not comprehend it.

The complexity bias is an error in reasoning that causes us to place too much faith in complicated ideas. When presented with two conflicting theories, we are prone to select the more challenging one (Wilkinson & Dewell, 2019). The choice with the greatest presumptions and regressions is often this one. Complex systems are composed of independent components that combine to create a whole that is frequently hard to anticipate from its parts (Wilkinson & Dewell, 2019). It is noteworthy to note that most cognitive biases develop to save mental energy. We overestimate the complexity of a topic or task when presented with excessive information about it.

Another key sign of how people try to make sense of the world’s complexity is the prevalence of conspiracy theories. For instance, many individuals are persuaded that the events of 9/11 were the result of an FBI plot. All sorts of individuals, regardless of class, age, or financial situation, share these values. Conspiracy theories are generally considerably more complicated than reality and are a natural byproduct of complexity, permeating all facets of human existence (Wilkinson & Dewell, 2019). People are more inclined to develop intricate explanations amid natural disasters and political or economic uncertainty. Another challenge that must be and may be conquered is in this area. Raising the bar for education can help with some of this. It is important to understand that throughout human history, including the ancient period when language was scarce, natural calamities and potentially dangerous situations like warfare have occurred.

In a more comprehensive perspective, the difficulty and requirement for a solution are evident. An exceedingly complex system with several levels has been created as a result of the state system, globalization, and other processes (Jackson, 2019). This system is very susceptible to unforeseen circumstances and occurrences. Sometimes the system can recover, but other times this causes a protracted healing period and exacerbates tensions and issues that were already there. The same process creates a new layer of structure in response to the subsequent issue, and so on until eventually, all of the society’s resources are depleted (Casti et al., 2016). Specifically, there are no resources left to address the upcoming issue when it arises.

The one way to succeed is to offer to bridge the gap by making a more complex system less complicated. The second method is to acknowledge that system stability in a strict sense does not exist (Casti et al., 2016). Stability is only considered with respect to a certain kind of influence. A system may therefore be entirely susceptible to one event and completely immune to another. The main idea is that a system is only as resilient as its weakest link (Casti et al., 2016). Countering the complexity in this regard can be seen as necessary to ensure the stable development of the system, whether it is the economy, government, or society. As it was seen, different layers of complexity can and should be countered using different approaches for the overall system to become more stable and consistent.

Overall, it can be seen how various repercussions of complexity are influencing different levels of society. Confronting this phenomenon is not easy, but it is evident that it is necessary to ensure the stable development of humanity. Overcomplicated systems, thoughts, and social constructs are vulnerable and prone to flaws. There are several ways of countering the complexity, but the encompassing approach should focus on education first.

References

Casti, J.L., Jones, R.D., & Pennock, M.J. (2016) Confronting Complexity. The X-Press.

Jackson, M. C. (2019). Critical Systems Thinking and the Management of Complexity. John Wiley & Sons.

O’Neill Jr, R. J., & Nalbandian, J. (2018). Change, complexity, and leadership challenges. Public Administration Review, 78(2), 311-314.

Sapaty, P. S. (2019). Complexity in International Security: A Holistic Spatial Approach. Emerald Group Publishing.

Wilkinson, B. D., & Dewell, J. A. (2019). Cognitive complexity: Differentiation and integration in counseling practice and training. Journal of Counseling & Development, 97(3), 317-324.

More related papers Related Essay Examples
Cite This paper
You're welcome to use this sample in your assignment. Be sure to cite it correctly

Reference

IvyPanda. (2023, October 5). Confronting Complexity in Society. https://ivypanda.com/essays/confronting-complexity-in-society/

Work Cited

"Confronting Complexity in Society." IvyPanda, 5 Oct. 2023, ivypanda.com/essays/confronting-complexity-in-society/.

References

IvyPanda. (2023) 'Confronting Complexity in Society'. 5 October.

References

IvyPanda. 2023. "Confronting Complexity in Society." October 5, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/confronting-complexity-in-society/.

1. IvyPanda. "Confronting Complexity in Society." October 5, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/confronting-complexity-in-society/.


Bibliography


IvyPanda. "Confronting Complexity in Society." October 5, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/essays/confronting-complexity-in-society/.

If, for any reason, you believe that this content should not be published on our website, please request its removal.
Updated:
This academic paper example has been carefully picked, checked and refined by our editorial team.
No AI was involved: only quilified experts contributed.
You are free to use it for the following purposes:
  • To find inspiration for your paper and overcome writer’s block
  • As a source of information (ensure proper referencing)
  • As a template for you assignment
Privacy Settings

IvyPanda uses cookies and similar technologies to enhance your experience, enabling functionalities such as:

  • Basic site functions
  • Ensuring secure, safe transactions
  • Secure account login
  • Remembering account, browser, and regional preferences
  • Remembering privacy and security settings
  • Analyzing site traffic and usage
  • Personalized search, content, and recommendations
  • Displaying relevant, targeted ads on and off IvyPanda

Please refer to IvyPanda's Cookies Policy and Privacy Policy for detailed information.

Required Cookies & Technologies
Always active

Certain technologies we use are essential for critical functions such as security and site integrity, account authentication, security and privacy preferences, internal site usage and maintenance data, and ensuring the site operates correctly for browsing and transactions.

Site Customization

Cookies and similar technologies are used to enhance your experience by:

  • Remembering general and regional preferences
  • Personalizing content, search, recommendations, and offers

Some functions, such as personalized recommendations, account preferences, or localization, may not work correctly without these technologies. For more details, please refer to IvyPanda's Cookies Policy.

Personalized Advertising

To enable personalized advertising (such as interest-based ads), we may share your data with our marketing and advertising partners using cookies and other technologies. These partners may have their own information collected about you. Turning off the personalized advertising setting won't stop you from seeing IvyPanda ads, but it may make the ads you see less relevant or more repetitive.

Personalized advertising may be considered a "sale" or "sharing" of the information under California and other state privacy laws, and you may have the right to opt out. Turning off personalized advertising allows you to exercise your right to opt out. Learn more in IvyPanda's Cookies Policy and Privacy Policy.

1 / 1