How Do We Break Systemic Problems?

I have been working on a few projects where one of the conversations that continue to arise is about systemic issues in our country. How do we change systemic issues?

Companies start with an idea in the start-up land, and if all goes according to plan, of course, that would include a perfect storm, the company grows. Jobs are created around culture and a work org chart. Once you get to the point where the company is as large as Google or Apple, it is almost impossible to change the environment. It is not as easy as the early days taking out a big whiteboard and charting a path. Also, noting that an early-stage founder doesn’t think lobbyists are part of the roadmap either.

Big companies are starting to swallow up the world. How do we change that? They own the food on the shelves, the data we create, and the cash to keep competition out. Look at our healthcare system. It is set up to have a backstop for when bad things happen, not when you need an allergy shot. Why? It makes no sense to be proactive but to be defensive. It is costly. Our system spends over $40k a year on individual homeless people for a family of four; it is $120k. The average age of a homeless person is 11. Think about that. That person is already destined for a tough life. Does that make sense? Homelessness is expensive. Systemic racism has been part of our country from day one. How do we break that?

It appears that the 1% and many in Government enjoy profitable monopolies. I just finished watching Crime of the Century, and although I had read about the Sackler family, it was the ineptitude at the Government level that really pained me. No doubt that Government employees and lobbyists attempting to break things up for their own personal gains don’t truly understand the way large companies work. They are just causing a set of more problems.

It has taken us about 40 years to get to this place. It as if we have lost our integrity as a nation. Politicians have used media to build a base of entitled, selfish people. If you watched the PGA this weekend, you know exactly what I am talking about. The crowds that overtook Phil Mickelson were scary. What happened to that gentlemanly sport? Is it the need for everyone to videotape their presence on an iPhone and share it with the world? Look at me!!

We should be supporting our people, not the big companies who have created so many of our country’s problems. That is what Government should be about, the people. We have got to a place where it is blurrier than ever to fix the bloat. It is not just about paying more taxes; it is about making some tremendous fundamental changes. I hate to be such a cynic these days, but I am unsure if we will ever get there.