Tag Archives: Feedback

‘Government is overhead’ follow-up

Posted on April 28, 2012 by

Last August, I wrote this post about how I think we should view government as an overhead expense. Yesterday, Edward wrote the following response to that post: A very interesting post. I agree with your premise that government is overhead. … Continue reading →

Posted in Failure, Feedback, Government, Politics | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Four broken feedbacks in public K-12 education

Posted on January 1, 2012 by

I believe that most problems are caused by broken feedback loops.  In 2009, I listed four broken feedback loops hurting quality in the public K-12 education system.   These include parent choice, teacher quality, grading and student discipline. This weekend, the … Continue reading →

Posted in Education, Systems thinking | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

All problems can be traced to the feedbacks

Posted on September 13, 2011 by

At least that’s my theory. Problems in feedbacks in human behavior can also be called incentive distortions.  What looks to many people like a “free market” failure, is usually an incentive feedback loop that has been distorted by government intervention. … Continue reading →

Posted in Bad Economy, Feedback, Power of Incentives | Tagged , | 3 Comments

Why private is better that public

Posted on May 9, 2011 by

This post by Don Boudreaux on Cafe Hayek reminded me of the insight that made me realize that private markets are more effective than public (government or politically-driven) markets.  It’s a two-parter. Part I:  You first have to realize that … Continue reading →

Posted in Capitalism, Changing Minds, Critical Thinking, Debate, Economics, Experimentation, Failure, Trial and Error | Tagged , , , , , | 5 Comments

George Will on Education

Posted on March 20, 2010 by

Please read this excellent column by George Will, Betting (Again) On an Education Fix.  Here’s the lead-off: Doubling down on dubious bets is characteristic of compulsive gamblers and federal education policy. The nation was essentially without such policy for grades … Continue reading →

Posted in Education, Feedback, Government, Liberty, Systems thinking | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Feedback Thomas Sowell Style

Posted on February 11, 2010 by

Thomas Sowell explores a similar thread as Walter Williams yesterday, in his column The Fallacy of “Fairness”: Part III.  Key lines: Tests and other criteria which convey the realities of their existing capabilities, compared to that of others, can have … Continue reading →

Posted in Accountability, Art of Management, Education, Feedback, Systems thinking | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Sensitivity

Posted on November 20, 2009 by

I listened to some sports talk radio while stuck in a traffic jam this evening.  The topic of discussion was the University of Kansas head football coach Mark Mangino and the complaints from his players about some comments he made. … Continue reading →

Posted in Systems thinking, True Measures | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Weekly Roundup

Posted on November 20, 2009 by

First, from Walter Williams, A Minority View: Excused Horrors. Nazis were responsible for the deaths of 20 million of their own people and those in nations they conquered. Between 1917 and 1983, Stalin and his successors murdered, or were otherwise … Continue reading →

Posted in Government, Politics, Taxes | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Bad Socialism Comparison

Posted on November 1, 2009 by

A writer of a letter to the editor in a local newspaper makes a common mistake in equating our public education system with socialism and with the proposed changes in health care: While attending parent-teacher conferences for my sons recently, … Continue reading →

Posted in Capitalism, Critical Thinking, Government, Health Care | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

That's Messed Up!

Posted on December 31, 2007 by

Ever catch yourself thinking, “that’s messed up!” Do you ever ask why? When something is messed up there’s a good chance that something wrong with a feedback mechanism somewhere.  I’m looking for a simpler way to say that.  I haven’t found it yet. What … Continue reading →

Posted in Systems thinking | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment