“True compassion is more than flinging a coin to a beggar; it comes to see that an edifice which produces beggars needs restructuring.” ~ Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Band-aid solutions are tempting options. They tend to be inexpensive, fairly easy to implement, and make us feel like we’re doing something good for the world. The trouble is that they are temporary fixes that soon need to be replaced, reworked, or repaired, often at a higher cost in time, dollars, and effort than the first band-aid solution, and all the while, the original problem we were trying to remedy gets further out of hand underneath.
Fixing root causes can be tiring work. It’s almost always expensive, and it usually requires a good deal of risk and a whole lot of courage. However, it’s the only fix that is truly a fix and solves a problem rather than covering it up.
This week I’ve been thinking about root causes for challenges that concern me. Some of these challenges, in order to really be overcome, are going to take significant action on my part. I can’t take care of all of them, at least not all at once. Now comes the critical step of deciding which fixes are worth doing and which fixes are better left to someone else.
I’m staring at the Magic 8 Ball of my life and asking “where do I start” and for some issues it says, “ask again later”. Right now there may be no clear cut action plan and so rather than develop a band-aid solution just so I feel like I’m making progress, I will have to let some of the challenges persist until a clear way through, even if it is a difficult path, emerges. Fixing broken systems require action, and it also requires patient inquiry. It is a great balancing act between the two.
The image above is not my own. It can be found here.
Published by Christa Avampato
The short of it:
Writer. Health, education, and art advocate. Theater and film producer. Visual artist. Product geek. Proud alumnae of the University of Pennsylvania (BA) and the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia (MBA). Inspired by ancient wisdom & modern tech. Proliferator of goodness. Opener of doors. Friend to animals. Fan of creative work in all its wondrous forms. I use my business skills to create passion projects that build a better world. I’ve been called the happiest New Yorker, and I try hard to live up to that title every day.
The long of it:
My career has stretched across Capitol Hill, Broadway theatre, education, nonprofit fundraising, health and wellness, and Fortune 500 companies in retail, media, entertainment, technology, and financial services. I’ve been a product developer and product manager, theater manager, strategic consultant, marketer, voice over artist, , teacher, and fundraiser. I use my business and storytelling to support and sustain passion projects that build a better world. In every experience, I’ve used my sense of and respect for elegant design to develop meaningful products, services, programs, and events.
While building a business career, I also built a strong portfolio as a journalist, novelist, freelance writer, interviewer, presenter, and public speaker. My writing has appeared in The Washington Post, The Huffington Post, PBS.org, Boston.com, Royal Media Partners publications, and The Motley Fool on a wide range of topics including business, technology, science, health, education, culture, and lifestyle. I have also been an invited speaker at SXSW, Teach for America, Avon headquarters, Games for Change, NYU, Columbia University, Hunter College, and the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America. The first book in my young adult book series, Emerson Page and Where the Light Enters, was acquired by a publisher and launched in November 2017. I’m currently working on the second book in the series.
A recovering multi-tasker, I’m equally at home in front of my Mac, on my yoga mat, walking my rescue dog, Phineas, traveling with a purpose, or practicing the high-art of people watching. I also cut up small bits of paper and put them back together as a collage artist.
My company:
I’m bringing together all of my business and creative career paths as the Founder of Double or Nothing Media:
• I craft products, programs, and projects that make a difference;
• I build the business plans that make what I craft financially sustainable;
• I tell the stories that matter about the people, places, and products that inspire me.
Follow my adventures on Twitter at https://twitter.com/christanyc and Instagram at https://instagram.com/christarosenyc.
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“True compassion is more than flinging a coin to a beggar; it comes to see that an edifice which produces beggars needs restructuring.” ~ Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Christa Avampato 
Christa:
Right again. Thanks for this important contribution too.
Sometimes, quick fixes and band-aid solutions tend to exacerbate an already untenable situation.
In other words, the problem gets worse, not better.
A classic example: a person gets sick and the doctor treats the patient with conventional medicine. Unfortunately, popping too many pills can have damaging side-effects. This may not always be the case, but some patients have allergies or other issues which need to be factored in.
That’s why “alternative medicine” has become so popular these days. The Chinese have acupuncture, and if you go to Chinatown and consult with a physician there, he/she will counsel you. Such medicines are kept in jars and boxes and such-like. The Chinese system of medicine is quite ancient and they believe in treating the person as a whole, not looking at the problem in isolation.
Similarly, the Indian system of medicine is also quite ancient (ayurveda). Here, the doctor may look at “lifestyle choices” and counsel accordingly. The solution could be: applying balms and lotions, massage, therapy, exercise, eating more fruits and vegetables, meditation, yoga, etc. Many people who are afraid of invasive surgery have gone this route. Your post really resonated with me. Cheers!
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Hi Archan,
This is a great parallel with medicine. I really like the idea of an integrative approach: use modern medicine to make people more comfortable while using alternative medicine to treat the root causes. Of course with certain diseases, modern medicine has made such tremendous advances, though I have begun to wonder more and more about the very far-reaching side effects of stress, depression, poor diet, lack of rigorous exercise, etc. I’ll be thinking of your comments as I begin my yoga teacher training next week. 🙂
Happy Sunday,
C
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