7 minute read
INTERNAL ERROR
What Happens When A System Is Designed To Fail
The other day, Christian Johnson, a mentor of mine, shared an error code with me. It was a metaphorical code he created on his own accord comparing the errors of a computer system to those of a political system. It was brilliant. I was pleased to hear that he didn’t stop with the code, he went on to create an article to further articulate his position. We are honored to share his insights here in The America Edition of AwareNow. - Allié M.
By Christian Johnson
“It’s not a people problem, it’s a systems problem.” These are words that I have heard and spoken multiple times in conversations with friends and colleagues about the challenges we face both in technology and also in society. As a quick intro, I am a Co-Founder of a tech startup that is working to empower people to invest their Social Currency (content) in social good. With all that has been happening, I have found myself thinking more about this statement and how it fits into all that we are experiencing as a nation.
After all, the unfortunate truth is that most systems are created to protect the actual system and not the users within the system. They are also designed to protect their creators, who often appoint a group of “System Administrators” whose primary job is to ensure that the system is consistently and efficiently performing the functions for which it was designed. Also, strangely enough, with most systems, the term “failure” can often be seen as both relative and subjective.
For example, one could easily demonstrate multiple ways that our current system is consistently failing for a specific group of users. However, one could also easily demonstrate how the very same system is consistently succeeding to perform the primary functions for which it was originally designed — to protect and provide benefits for a different group of users. And this is entirely by design, seeing as both groups of users were predesignated by the very people who created the system.
Actually, if we were to look closely at the original “source code” that was written (the Constitution), which is what our current Operating System (American democracy) has been running on, we would find a series of algorithms (“codes”) that had been carefully constructed and embedded to ensure that not all users (citizens) would be treated equally. And this should be of no surprise to anyone, especially considering that the Co-Founders of the colonial startup, called America, were a group of all white men who were predominantly wealthy — mainly plantation owners and businessmen.
Keeping this in mind, let’s take a look at the Preamble to the Constitution. It actually states that the Constitution was written to “promotethe general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity.”
Okay, let’s break this down… To start, when the Co-Founders wrote “ourselves,” they actually meant just that. It would have been a lotmore transparent (and truthful) had they just started the Constitution with “We the White Men of the United States.”
Next, whereas it seems pretty obvious what they meant by “Welfare,” what isn’t as obvious is the phrase “Blessings of Liberty.” It turns out that the Constitution doesn’t actually define what makes up the “Blessings of Liberty.” For this we need to visit the Bill of Rights which, for the sake of this article, is kind of like America’s ‘Terms and Conditions.” You know, that legal document that we’re supposed to “agree” to before we are allowed to use the actual system. And let’s be honest, how many people actually read, let alone understand, the ‘Terms and Conditions’ before clicking the little box.
Anyway, in the Bill of Rights, the “Blessings of Liberty” are outlined in the First Amendment as freedom of speech, or of the press, the right to vote, the freedom of religion, the right to peaceably assemble, and the right to petition the government for a redress of grievances, which is just a fancy way of saying you can file a complaint or ask for help from the government without fear of punishment or reprisal. And hey, these all sound great, except for the fact that these “Blessings” were clearly not intended to be granted to all citizens (users). And then comes the part about “Posterity.” What the Co-Founders were really saying is that they were also securing all of these “Blessings” for their future heirs — their children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, great-great grandchildren, etc.
So, here we are, 244 years later, running on much of the same blatantly biased code that was written with ink and quill by a group ofwealthy white dudes. Oh, and that bit about promoting Welfare and securing all the good $#!T for their future generations…yeah, thatseems to have worked out pretty well for the “Prosperity” of their “Posterity”.
I realize that some of you may be thinking to yourself that times have changed and that America has evolved, as have the systems on which we operate. And in some ways, you would be right for thinking that. After all, the original “source code” (the Constitution) has been tweaked (amended) 27 times.
The problem is that the “programmers” that made those tweaks, were, you guessed it, more white dudes. Not surprisingly, this is why thecurrent system is still succeeding to perform the primary functions for which it was originally designed, almost a quarter of a millenniumago — to protect and provide benefits for a select group of citizens. Oh yeah, and their posterity too.
I think many would agree that until every system is designed (or redesigned) to provide equal rights and benefits to ALL users, we will continue to be forced to hit Ctrl+Alt+Delete every time we see a system error (failure), whether that be police brutality, voter suppression, or other acts of systemic racism and white supremacy. And just in case you’re wondering, Ctrl+Alt+Delete, also known as the “threefinger salute”, is the key combination used to interrupt or facilitate interrupting a function. Of course if you’re a Mac user (like me), you’d use Command+Option+Esc – but that just doesn’t sound as cool.
Personally, I think that what we are seeing today is just the culmination of a long history of system errors that have identified a Total System Failure. Also, I would argue that the best way to deal with this system failure is to first unplug the system from its “white power” source. Then, while we are running in Protest Mode (we’re in it now), we can band together to hire (elect) a more diverse group of system engineers who are committed to working together to write and install a new batch of impartial and might I even suggest, empathetic source code.
That way, when we eventually reboot the system, it will be designed to provide every citizen equal access to the same rights, benefits,protections, and justice. No matter the color of their avatar.
Oh, and that goes for their Posterity too.
My name is Christian Johnson. I am the Co-Founder and CEO of a tech startup that empowers people to invest their social currency in social good. Over the past 15 years, I have had the opportunity to work with some of the world’s leading brands and nonprofits, using my creative skills to produce digital and tangible products that cause people to speak and to act. I have worked on projects and campaigns that have raised awareness and funds for multiple causes, ranging from ocean conservation, to humanitarian aid, to social justice. I strongly believe that creativity can and will provide answers to many of the world’s leading issues, and I am constantly looking for new creative challenges and collaborations that can lead to positive social change. I recently started writing as a way to reflect on some of the topics that have been weighing on my heart and mind, and I have challenged myself to write at least one article each month.
If you enjoy this article, you can follow me on Medium - https://medium.com/@GoCreativelyAnd if you’re interested in collaborating for the greater good, message me on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/gocreatively
