Introduction
This post is the forty-sixth part of a ramble-rant about the software business. The current posts in this series can be found on the series landing page.
This post is about destruction.
“As a matter of cosmic history, it has always been easier to destroy than to create.”
Mr. Spock says this to Dr. McCoy in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. He’s right. It’s much easier to tear down than to build up. Why? Part of the reason is entropy. The playing field is on a hillside, after all. One problem with destruction is it’s not sustainable. One reason destruction is not sustainable is it’s difficult to contain. Remember this chart from other posts?
Destruction – or evil – can get away from you fast. Before you know it, you’ve done more than you intended… or wanted. You’ve hurt people you never intended to hurt. And while justifications like “collateral damage” may temporarily placate, they end up sounding hollow. Sometimes for years.
Evil is Lazy
It takes very little imagination to react to a wrong, to say “I told you so” to a team member or subordinate, or to feel smug when your competition fails. It’s natural, in fact. As a result, evil is lazy.
Conclusion
Destruction holds back business, community, and progress – usually way more than anyone intends. In the next post, we’ll look at the hard work of creation.
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