I propose that many polarities expose an institution as fragile. Things break apart because tensions between the polar opposites drain an institution of its energy and disrupt its focus. Especially in the case of Trust, there is rarely an unbroken institution if those working in the organization can’t trust the competencies, intentions and perspectives of those with whom they work. An individual who is whip-sawed between home and quest will soon find that they have neither a home nor the prospects of a successful quest.
Yet, Taleb would have us believe that stressful polarities can provide vitality and direction. As I have repeatedly noted in this set of essays, members of an institution can find that the tensions within an Essence such as Trust, can be of great benefit rather than being a source of disruption and ultimate demise. Taleb (2012, p. 3) puts it this way: “wind extinguishes a candle and energizes fire. Likewise with randomness, uncertainty, chaos: you want to use them, not hide from them. You want to be the fire and wish for the wind.”
While Taleb identifies a variety of strategies that help to make an institute less fragile and open to the opportunity of learning and growth emerging from the crisis, he mostly is encouraging a mindset that discerns those challenging conditions (the wind) that can enhance an institution’s operations (the fire). Then one greets these conditions and leverages the benefits. For instance, we can use the crisis of a hurricane to learn how best to not only predict the severity and direction of future hurricanes but also build better barriers against future storm surges.
Most importantly, we can “learn a critical lesson” about climate instability. A similar mobilization of lessons to be learned and procedures to be employed can accompany a pandemic or an economic crisis. We can’t predict when the storm, pandemic, or crisis will occur (they are Black Swans), but we can know for certain that they will occur and can plan for the leveraging. Most importantly, to bring in my own model of Polystasis, we can fully recognize that predictions will change, baselines must (and will) be adjusted, and new actions will be taken based on these modified predictions and baselines.
It is in the capacity of ant-fragile institutions to shift and adapt to changing conditions that we see Polystasis being fully engaged. While homeostasis is to be found in highly fragile institutions and objects, Polystasis is to be found in institutions and objects that are flexible and non-fragile. A beautiful bowl or glass goblet is highly fragile. It can easily shatter. There is only one (homeostatic) state in which the bowl or goblet can exist. While other fragile systems can sometimes be repaired and brought back to homeostasis, the shattered bowl or goblet can, at best, be stuck back together with glue—but will never be quite the same. It is worth noting that this bowl was once highly malleable clay. It only became rigid and fragile after shaped on a wheel and fired in a furnace.
Similarly, the glass is composed of fine sand that was quite fluid in its original form. I am reminded of my work in Corning, New York. This is the headquarters of Corning Glass and was founded as a company that produced high quality glassware (Steuben Glass) made from the prized sand to be found in the nearby Chemung River. It is a remarkable experience to have witnessed the creation of fine glass objects at the Steuben Factory—or to witness today the blowing of glass objects at a crafts fair. Sand is melted in a kiln. The fluid glass is typically cooled into glass bars and then melted once again (with a focused source of heat). The fluid glass is shaped into beautiful artistic forms.
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