Can The PRAGMATIC OPTIMIST Solve A Country's Toughest Challenges?

It seems that the first-quarter of 2023 has been dominated by despondence, despair, doom & gloom. What the world needs now are new ideas. Fresh ideas. Different ways of doing things. A radical shift in thinking. A global mindset shift! This is issue 44.

NB: News events and complex stories are moving so fast, and being our aim in 2023 for our articles to be short & sharp ('yes, tell us another one'), for expediency, we are going to begin this article with some answers (ideas) and frame the questions (or justifications) later.

Idea 1. Change Mindset: Become a pragmatic optimist. Take control of your thinking, your future plans, and what you can do to achieve your objectives.. even in the face of overwhelming despondency from people all around you. They NEED You!

Idea 2. Flip The Switch: When lack of trust, lack of transparency (study what transparency means), lack of accountability, incompetence, and lack of common-sense is in clear and blatant display by leadership.. change the priority of the metrics by which they are to be measured from general KPAs (Key Performance Areas) to measurable KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) - make the KPIs Specific, Measurable & Relevant. Make leaders (particularly political / municipal leaders) and their teams jointly responsible for establishing & publicizing team objectives, success criteria, required outcomes, deliverables accountabilities, rewards, consequences, and defining team ground rules.. and then MEASURE THEM & HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE against the criteria that they set for themselves.?

Idea 3. Do Something Different: It stands to reason that if you are not happy with the results you are getting, and you really want different results you have got to do things differently. It has been said that we cannot solve our problems with the same thinking and actions that got us there.. or that we used when we created them. If you keep on getting the wrong results then change the way you do things.

• Interestingly, as this article is in production this announcement lands: 19 Apr 2023 - ‘South Africa needs a democratic reset to deliver freedom and?justice’ - '..we want to be one people united by the same values and sharing a dream of the country we all deserve. This is a dream we have lost as politics has come to symbolise corruption, the arrogance of power and an embarrassing eagerness to conclude political deals – and the people be damned.'

To do things differently, you need to have an open-mind to different inputs - e.g. Evonomics - billing themselves as The Next Evolution in Economics - 'Changes in economic thinking can change the world, for the better. That’s the core belief that inspires?Evonomics'.?

Read: What Is Radical Economics? (Hint: It’s Not Neoliberal or Marxist) - 'Radical change is clearly and urgently necessary.'

Conversible Economist captures in pertinent quotes current challenges in the preparation of students for the real world of economic challenges in a tragicomedy sketch interaction between adviser and student:

Adviser: And why in heaven’s name are you majoring in economics?

Student: My intellectual interests and passions. I came to economics to study real-world problems, ranging from poverty and inequality to environmental protection, antitrust, and provision of health care and education.

Advisor: Real-world problem? What real-world problems? Your courseload for the next two years is introductory micro, introductory macro, intermediate micro, intermediate macro, econometrics, and a mandatory accounting course.

Student: I was misinformed.

Conversible Economist also gives a blunt truth assessment of South Africa's fundamental challenges (as of 2020) - South Africa: Mired in Stagnation. The solution? Refer Idea 1. above.

Idea 4. Take Action: If one can, the pragmatic optimist takes action to bring about change. In Confessions of a SERIAL Entrepreneur - Ch.2 - as author, I wrote about the massive actions I personally took to establish a community project to eradicate violent crime in our local area, which turned into re-directing over a billion rand through our once effectively-bankrupt community association. There can be no half-measures when you decide to take action! Take MASSIVE action!

Again as author, let me also mention that an important allied concept to 'taking action' is that of allowing & encouraging entrepreneurs to benefit from making a difference in their communities.. should they want to. In Progress And Profit: Two Peas In A Pod - I state unequivocally why I firmly believe that Profit: (is) The Vital Driver Of Civilized Society.. and that 'in order for society to grow it is essential to recognize that someone must profit'. I argue wholly against those well-meaning (and some not so well-meaning) social engineers with ideologies that believe that entrepreneurs should give away their product/s or service/s (or that it/they should be usurped) for the good of their community.

Idea 5. Plant The Seed Of An Idea: If one cannot or does not want to take action, at least plant the seed of an idea so that others can work on it and move it to action. Know that three effects are likely to come into play to invoke spreading of the idea: i. Butterfly Effect ii. Law of Cause & Effect iii. Law of Unintended Consequences. Interesting extra reading - Law of Cause and Effect | The 12 Universal Laws of Manifestation.

In the comment section of issue 41 of 1idea we shared the idea of a 'MeetingsCam', to combat lack of transparency, which has grown legs and morphed into the further idea for 'All critical processes /meetings/ discussions/ evaluations /selections /adjudications should be video recorded by multiple participants then uploaded onto a blockchain to ensure and maintain it's integrity.'

Idea 6. Encourage Stability: Whilst there is controversy and opposing views related to the concept of war crimes by current & past leaders, it is interesting to hear these personal point-of-view insights in a fascinating interview. 18/04/2023 - Amanpour Exclusive: Tony Blair, Bill Clinton and Bertie Ahern reunite 25 years after bringing peace to Northern Ireland

Was particularly taken with the comments: 'You cannot run a successful democracy in an inter-dependent world, if it is dominated by people that think the only thing that matters is our differences.'

And, 'What have we gained? We've gained peace for the last 25 years. We've gained hope and opportunity on the one side. On the other side, you've got institutions that are unstable and you've still got real pockets of deprivation. The only way you are going to make sense of that is to pursue political stability. Political stability gives you the space within which you can deal with these problems. If you look at conflicts around the world, whilst there is violence, or whilst there is the view that the differences are what matters, it is very hard to create the space for advance or progress. It is only when people are prepared to take the difficult decisions to put stability in place that you can then deal with these social and economic problems, and you give people a sense that they can plan for the future. We have to create the circumstances which allow the political bandwidth to deal with the underlying problems, which are the ones that really matter.'

So, for those interested, here is how this planned 'short' article originally began.. and then took on a missive journey all of its own due to rapidly unfolding events of national concern.. forcing the above supply of ideas before the justification of the back-story challenges & explanations needing solutions. Please enjoy:

Bill Gates set the global scene for a world experiencing tough, tough times in his end of year newsletter - 20 December 2022 - Bill Gates: Thinking about what matters as we head into 2023. - 'With the pandemic, war in Ukraine, and downturn in the economy, the past three years have been some of the hardest in recent memory. Everyone in the world has experienced loss during this time—of loved ones, financial security, or a way of life.'

Adrian Gore, one of South Africa's leading captains of industry, opens his article - 31 March 2023 - Adrian Gore | My view on SA remains unchanged: We need action, not despair - with his observation: 'Right now, times are tough for every South African. Every person I speak to is concerned and despairing; there is a deep sense of futility. The power crisis, combined with the physical decay and widespread corruption, has eroded hope and replaced it with despondence, and one thing seems to follow another.'?

In both communications above, the two iconic figures provide their individual solutions, leaving this writer to assess each to be a pragmatic optimist.

In a Google search for 'pragmatic optimist definition' this comes up (as extracted from - The Pragmatic Optimist: A Practical Way to Think About Your Future)

'Pragmatic optimism is?a combination of two terms: pragmatism and optimism. Put together; this means that you're optimistic about your future and pragmatic about what you need to do to get there. Pragmatic optimism is much more grounded in reality than regular optimism.'

In the first few issues of 1idea - first quarter 2023 - we've been largely focused on sharing ideas to build and maintain a positive mindset in rapidly changing & chaotic times:

In issue 40 of 1idea - AI just became very real. Don't let this breakthrough idea pass YOU by. - we explored ideas on how to take advantage of ChatGPT. We wrote: 'Never before has there been a greater imperative to be able to think for yourself.'

In issue 41 of 1idea - CORRUPTION is killing our world. Let's put AI to the task of stopping it. - we explored ideas for how to put AI to the task of stopping the scourge of corruption that is killing our world. We wrote: '..in both the public & private sectors,?many of those in power & authority tend to be the one's pointed to as being corrupt, the?lack of trust in politicians & government-appointed officials is palpable?and seemingly at an all-time high, so there is no incentive for them to stop it..?other than to give lip-service to stopping corruption.'

In issue 42 of 1idea - simplify. Simplify. SIMPLIFY. - we explored what it takes to stay sane & effective in an increasingly cluttered & chaotic world. We wrote: '..question down generally misleading B.S. to get to the C.S. (Common Sense) especially that B.S. that may be spewed out by people in 'leadership' / authority positions.' & 'There is almost always a simple solution to any complex problem.'

In issue 43 of 1idea - Unleash 'The Spirit of Mental Adventure'! - we explored the antidote to the rapidly-rising incidence of ‘mental anguish’ in the world today. We wrote: 'Life, today, seems to revolve largely around mindset. Be curious about what, how, and why, others think as they do. Maintain an open-mind. Shift your mindset. Understand the views of others before making-up your own mind.'

In this issue 44 of 1idea we explore what ideas a pragmatic optimist might apply to solving many a country's toughest challenges.

In South Africa, we appear to live in a world of many contrasting parallel experiences on a daily basis. Take, for instance, the recent Easter period week, which saw people holidaying and participating happily in sporting events, whilst others were unhappily experiencing energy-outage load shedding driving them to distraction.. and yet others just trying to survive another day in distressing poverty. The disparities are often so diverse, and inequalities so deep, leading South Africa to be identified as the most unequal country in the world.

Many were left gob-smacked by the outstanding GroundUp investigative journalism, and revealing parliamentary inquiry, into the Thabo Bester prison escape?exposing crime, corruption and incompetence in Manguang prison.

It will come as no surprise to most that lack of transparency & accountability in government institutions, dealing with socio-economic issues, crime, corruption, incompetence and lack of trust in leadership/authorities to do anything about these challenges, is/are at the top of SA's unhappiness index.

And, lest we think that these challenges are endemic to just one or a few countries alone.. listen to these incredible video performances & follow the genius lyrics to get the talented singer/musician/artist's tragically poignant point of view as to 'who is to blame' for the socio-economic issues all around the world:

Lyrics: Ren Money Game

And, if the point didn't land home enough in the above video (adult language warning), this next one drives it home like a stake through the heart:

Lyrics: Money game part 2

Perhaps a pertinent point in this article to refer to the World Economic Forum -?Partnering Against Corruption Initiative?- 'Technology is recognized as the biggest game-changer for addressing corruption. Big data analytics, blockchain, mobile applications and e-governance systems are valuable tools in the prevention, detection, investigation and prosecution of corruption, although they also have inherent risks.'

So, as pragmatic optimists, what can we do about these social-economic challenges? That's where the following ideas were sketched and transferred to the top of this article for expediency.

Idea 1. Change Mindset

Idea 2. Flip The Switch

Idea 3. Do Something Different

Idea 4. Take Action

Idea 5. Plant The Seed Of An Idea

Idea 6. Encourage Stability

If you're new to us it is recommended that you read issue 1:?One Idea is All it Takes

About:?Trevor Nel is an 'ideas-generating machine' and co-founder of?WISDOMS?. You can connect with WISDOMS? and become: 1. a?PATRON?and/or; 2. a?PLAYER?, and/or; 3. a?PARTNER?- follow each link for more info.

Next week:?issue 45 - We take a moment to catch our breath whilst contemplating on a mental image of a picture-perfect beach and take in the spiritually-uplifting wonders of nature's teachings all around us.

Trevor Nel?is author of?One Idea Is All It Takes?and numerous publications & articles, including :

1. Another GREAT Day in Africa!
2. Confessions of a SERIAL Entrepreneur
3. Here's How To Be Well-Prepared For YOUR Cycles Of Success
4. Here's How YOU Can Make A Meaningful Difference In Other People's Lives
5. COMRADES Marathon: Metaphor For The Marathon Of Life
6. Riding the wild, wild River Of Life
7. Life Lessons Learnt as a Dusi Rat
8. Some simple life lessons learnt from 50 Midmar Miles