Michael Lissack A more dangerous response to growing policy complexity and the ac- companying failure of experts to agree or to predict correctly is for policy- makers to throw out conflicting evidence and opt for the simplistic solu- tion that “fits” with political or ideological predilections. As Alice Rivlin observes: “Never mind that this last cure-all is counter-intuitive, that it conflicts with common sense as well as with the accumulated evidence of how our system works.” When Nobel laureates in economics can look at the same data and come up with diametrically opposite interpretations and policy recommenda- tions, we can join Henry Aaron in asking: “What is an ordinary member of the tribe to do when the witch doctors disagree?” In my view what to do is to assert that there is a primary value through which the surfeit of information, the cries for “more,” the demands of our complex society all must be viewed. That primary value is to increase the quality of life. Using this value as a filter, each of us - and the decision mak- ers who claim to act for us -- has a base from which to view the world. The setting of priorities is critical. The word “triage” comes to mind -- a word referring originally to life and death choices and meaning selection or choice according to quality. Yet, if that quality cannot be perceived, how, in a world of limited resources, is the triage supposed to occur? To perceive quality is to see patterns that underlay manifest events and happenings. It means perceiving the forest through the trees. Well-developed individuals have a penchant for seeing connections between things, for relating things and events one to another. Humanistic psychologist Abraham Maslow said that the healthy mind sees things whole; overspecialization and fragmentation are signs of psychic malfunction. The ability to see unifying patterns is the sign of a healthy well-developed personality. Quality of life and its improve- ment must be the unifying pattern connecting the actions of those to whom we have entrusted the decisions of governing. During the past decade other authors have proffered their version of this same belief. Jonathan Rauch in his Demosclerosis suggests that the problem is the proliferation of special interests and the professionalization of the lobbying forces who articulate their cause. His book is an eloquent
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