Systemic trap - Shifting the burden to the intervenor

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When an external agent intervenes in the original system to compensate for a gap toward a preferred state, dependency on that agent can develop: subsidies, fertilizers, facilitators. This carries the risk of atrophying the part of the system that was originally responsible for that function.

We don't want the system to become addicted to a countermeasure that was intended to be temporary. For example, becoming dependent on task forces to deal with a cleanliness issue, or drinking alcohol to unwind from a stressful day.

How to Avoid It?

Understand the system and avoid getting swept up in it. It's important to be clear about the exit conditions for the intervenor so that their involvement remains time-limited.

References

Thinking in systems | Donella Meadows