Adderall & the peace process
Benjamin Leffell
Issue date: 10/29/09 Section: Op/Ed
In many ways, the secondary concerns contain the understanding and mutual respect that would seemingly be necessary in order to settle the primary concerns. In this regard, the primary concerns are similar to the symptoms that are "quick fixed" by Lipitor and Adderall, while the secondary concerns parallel the cause of the symptoms. Curiously, it appears that if the secondary concerns were resolved first, then the primary matters of negotiations would be far simpler to settle.
It would take a painstaking amount of time and money in order to construct the institutions and infrastructure necessary to prevent Anti-Semitic incitements and to resolve Palestinian political violence as well as the other secondary concerns. This is similar to the increased discipline and creativity that would be necessary for someone to reform his lifestyle so they no longer need to take Lipitor and Adderall. Rather than take the extensive time and efforts to create the respect and understanding that would be necessary to solve the secondary concerns, we seek to simply eliminate the primary concerns (the symptoms). With the "quick fix" option, if diplomats and negotiators can produce an agreement regarding borders, water rights, and refugees, they would have saved both money and manpower. However, when the "quick fix" option fails time and again, it inevitably costs society more.
People might forget, but we are not the first generation to deal with high cholesterol, attention deficit disorders or hyperactivity disorders, we are just the first generation with pills to "fix" or, perhaps more accurately, mask those problems. In the past, people have had to come up with skills and methods to complete their work and chores despite those setbacks. In some cases, they even had to choose professions that more aptly suited their needs to be moving and changing tasks regularly. Perhaps, we should view the failures of the "quick fix" option over the last 30 years in Middle East diplomacy as a warning and be wary of these cure-all pills pervading our society. If we learn to fix what is actually wrong, then we have a chance to properly solve problems, not just mask the symptoms. Don't misunderstand this, it is imperative to be results oriented, but not at the expense of truly resolving the problems; like the famous Seinfeld mantra, "Serenity now, insanity later."
It would take a painstaking amount of time and money in order to construct the institutions and infrastructure necessary to prevent Anti-Semitic incitements and to resolve Palestinian political violence as well as the other secondary concerns. This is similar to the increased discipline and creativity that would be necessary for someone to reform his lifestyle so they no longer need to take Lipitor and Adderall. Rather than take the extensive time and efforts to create the respect and understanding that would be necessary to solve the secondary concerns, we seek to simply eliminate the primary concerns (the symptoms). With the "quick fix" option, if diplomats and negotiators can produce an agreement regarding borders, water rights, and refugees, they would have saved both money and manpower. However, when the "quick fix" option fails time and again, it inevitably costs society more.
People might forget, but we are not the first generation to deal with high cholesterol, attention deficit disorders or hyperactivity disorders, we are just the first generation with pills to "fix" or, perhaps more accurately, mask those problems. In the past, people have had to come up with skills and methods to complete their work and chores despite those setbacks. In some cases, they even had to choose professions that more aptly suited their needs to be moving and changing tasks regularly. Perhaps, we should view the failures of the "quick fix" option over the last 30 years in Middle East diplomacy as a warning and be wary of these cure-all pills pervading our society. If we learn to fix what is actually wrong, then we have a chance to properly solve problems, not just mask the symptoms. Don't misunderstand this, it is imperative to be results oriented, but not at the expense of truly resolving the problems; like the famous Seinfeld mantra, "Serenity now, insanity later."