When a person is young, he becomes myopic (farsightedness) and when he gets older, he becomes hyperopic (nearsighted). Just like physical aging, our eyes give us away in social aging. Most of the decisions we make in youth, where emotions are dominant, can be problematic due to our lack of foresight. As you get older, although you can see far away, you have difficulty in the close-up. Life is like a puzzle; Solving problems arising from many events, environments or people becomes no different than a puzzle. Well, what we call life is also a game and a distraction, isn't it?
What is the problem? What is Problem Solving?
Although the word problem is perceived as "problem" in Turkish, the meaning of the word is not just a problem, but every situation that needs to be solved. In this sense, purpose, goals, expectations, desires, wishes are all problems that need to be achieved and that await a solution. Our life is spiral with problems. Problems mean us. Man develops as he solves his problems. The problem is not in the problem itself, but in the way we solve it.
In the past, when the pay phones did not work, some of our citizens used to punch the pay phone to solve the problem. As a result of this punch, sometimes a lot of coins would be discharged for some reason. Although the fist technique (!) was frequently used in interpersonal communication. This was one of our problem-solving techniques!
There was an incident like this. The 1990s were the years when computer use was still on the verge of becoming widespread. In this case, the computer selling company receives a call from a customer. The following dialogue takes place between the customer and the technical staff, who complains that his computer does not turn on:
– Hello, my computer does not turn on, so I called.
– Hello, please turn off and on your computer.
- I did, it still won't open.
– Is the cable plugged into the socket?
– Yes, it is installed.
– Turn on the room light!
- What to do there; but I'm burning.
– Is the lamp in the room turned on?
– No, it didn't burn!
– Sir, your electricity is out!
As it turns out, it is important to find the root cause of the problem. While most of these reasons are pretty simple, those who don't know where to start solving a problem won't find it. Since we focus on results most of the time in life, we are not interested in the causes that bring it up. However, the problem with a very simple solution is that we waste a significant part of our time.
At the core of the problems that need to be solved are those that belong to us. Then, by expanding circle by circle, we are faced with problems that can reach millions, up to the problems in the largest area of the universe we live in. All of these are waiting to be solved, while new problems that require new solutions continue in a spiral and will continue to do so.
The Biggest Problems Are Personal
As a matter of fact, our own problems come to the fore more in our personal world, which is the smallest circle. The reason is that we are the person primarily responsible for solving the problem directly. However, the problems of the world concern everyone, a large audience that includes ourselves.
Here, too, it is impossible to avoid the expected end unless each individual sees himself as primarily responsible. Unfortunately, our perception works like this: It is the scientists who tell us the disaster scenarios who should solve scientific problems; they should solve the problem too!
Where the responsibilities of the individual and society intersect, public institutions that have the responsibility of regulating social life come into play. Finding and solving these problems is the job of these institutions and organizations. For example, education is one of the most general and common problems. Unfortunately, problems are being tried to be solved in the way that a few people who play the role of solution did many years ago and the tradition is maintained. The problems are constantly repeating themselves because the original problem is not solved in accordance with its own structure.
One of the basic rules I've learned from this life is this:
A problem tends to repeat itself until it is solved. Solving a problem means understanding the message of that problem. For this reason, the answer of those who oppose the tendency to see History as a repetition in social sciences is that the problem will be solved if a lesson is taken.
Think Like a Child
Problem solving skills also require spending resources such as time, money, manpower and optimism, according to some characteristics. But the main thing is to use our childlike “curiosity” in problem solving, try to find a small part of the problem, deal with it, then see who else is working on the same problem and connect.
It is necessary to learn to say "I don't know" when there is insufficient problem solving. Children are wonderful creatures in this regard. Two important characteristics shine through when displaying problem-solving behavior:
First, they are transparent and straight forward as they are. So they are solution oriented.
Secondly, they are quite unbiased. They naturally have the latter. Because they have no experience. They have no memories of negativity and people. Since it is not, they are very sincere and sincere about the solution.
If we adults can show these innocence and non-prejudice characteristics of children in their problem-solving behaviors, the human species will be very comfortable.
Personal, societal, social and political problems, in the name of humanity, environment, ecosystem, nutrition, injustice in income distribution, worst of all, wars, children killed in wars, massacres, in short, all global problems stem from the unsolvable, incomprehensible, ambitious and unjust life philosophies of us adults.
Problems can only be solved with child innocence. Humanity must return to the island of childhood.
