The discard pile
Walking away from something that we’re used to, even if it’s unjust or inefficient or ineffective–it usually takes far too long. Fear, momentum and the status quo combine to keep us stuck.
And so it builds up. The cruft calcifies and it gets in our way, making our world smaller, our interactions less human. What used to be normal is rejected and obsolete. It turns out that the status quo is the status quo because it’s good at sticking around.
But brave people stand up and speak up and take action. And far too slowly, the system starts to change.
Sunk costs are real, but we must ignore them. Culture changes, our standards evolve, opportunities arise.
Better is possible… if we care enough to walk away from what was and brave enough to build something new.