WHEN "SOLUTIONS"
MAKE THINGS WORSE

Ever tried to fix a problem, only to make it worse?

That’s the trap of solutionism – our tendency to apply solutions that worked in one context to places where they don’t.

Nowhere is this mindset more visible than in the world of tech. From finance to fashion, dieting to democracy, there’s hardly an area of life a Silicon Valley startup hasn’t tried to “fix” with an app or an algorithm.

The belief that “tech can solve everything” has led to real breakthroughs. But it’s also given us Wi-Fi-connected juicers and AI-enhanced smart fridges. While these are relatively harmless gimmicks, applying the same mindset to serious, complex problems – like climate, mental health, or politics – can have dangerous consequences.

So how can we tell if the next shiny fix is true progress – or just another case of solutionism waiting to backfire?