Unrealistic Solutions to Societal Problems

Financial inequality in society

The issue of financial inequality in society can be effectively resolved by persons who are affluent. How so? Those who have accumulated substantial wealth have greater access to the resources and institutions capable of influencing economic conditions. If less effort is put into amassing as much wealth as possible, more attention can be given to address the situation of persons constantly living in a state of poverty and ‘hand to mouth’ living. However there is no meaningful incentive for them to address the glaring problem, simply for the fact that they are not affected by the problem and do not care to put any effort into any attempts to resolve the issues.

For example, low level workers in a company might be complaining of an air conditioning issue in their office. The air conditioning might be subpar, releasing a foul smell or there might not be any at all causing the work environment to be uncomfortable. The individuals who have the power to fix it are normally the ones who have their own offices with air conditioning and are the ones who control the budget and resources needed to rectify the problem. Because they are not experiencing the discomfort, they have less incentive to prioritize the issue. A corporation has all incentive to keep wages as low as it can because increasing employee compensation reduces its profit margin . Simply put, if corporations paid better wages there would be less funds to report at the end of the financial year report.

At any given time any form of effort is put into changing society to benefit average people, we have to deal with persons who do not think twice about buying a new car to add to their already vast collection, a new investment property or simply shopping at the supermarket. People who fall into this bracket are normally called the 'ultra rich'. These individuals always seem to find avenues to derail the collective efforts of society to make adjustments for a better standard of living for persons who cannot be deemed 'ultra rich'. In essence the majority is held hostage by the minority who have it.

To be clear, I am not saying that being rich = bad. A realistic point of view is obviously if a person owns a business they will have access to more wealth than an individual that works for a business. Where the issue lies is there is no guarantee that those who have benefited the most from the system will willingly support changes that could reduce their financial advantage, even if those changes would improve the standard of living for everyone else.

Capitalism

By definition, capitalism is an economic system where people or companies own businesses and compete to make money. The essential feature of capitalism is the motive to make a profit and make as much of it as possible, and therein lies the problem. This is what fuels the greed and selfishness that has been the catalyst for the greatest problems we have on this planet. Now the unrealistic solution to this problem would be for everyone to stop putting themselves first and think of others around them. The biggest issue with capitalism isn't simply the foundation in which it's built on, it's the way it's abused and turned into a ugly vessel for human selfishness and our constant desire to compete with each other.

Climate change

Climate change is one of the most obvious examples of a societal problem that seems to have a solution, yet it seems to get worse year after year. The irony is that climate change is not necessarily a problem caused by a lack of solutions. As a people, we have the technology and knowledge necessary to reduce our impact on the environment. The real problem is how does the majority who are common people offset the devastating impact that the minority is having on the planet. If your solution to climate change begins with 'if everyone just stops using fossil fuels,' then that is an unrealistic solution. It sounds reasonable when looking at the problem from a purely environmental perspective, but it completely ignores the reality of how dependent modern society is on fossil fuels. People use gasoline to get to work, businesses depend on transportation to move their products, factories require enormous amounts of energy and entire economies have been built around the production and consumption of fossil fuels. Telling everyone to simply stop using them does not address the question of how people are supposed to live a life that we have become so accustomed to after doing so.

Indisciplined Drivers on the Road

There is no doubt that indisciplined drivers on the road is a much smaller problem when compared to climate change or the housing crisis, but it is a problem that affects people every single day. Not only does it cause senseless deaths, it's very annoying. Especially for people who do their best to follow the rules of the road. The frustrating part is that the solution appears incredibly simple. People know the rules, so why do they not simply follow them?

I believe the biggest problem in Jamaica surrounding this topic is aggressive and reckless driving is treated as normal. Someone who drives slowly or carefully (mostly women) is mocked for being 'afraid,' while someone (more than likely a man) who speeds or aggressively overtakes is viewed as a skilled driver. I know of a common sentiment in Jamaican culture where women are referred to as 'maamz' which is a derogatory term used to mock women who drive smaller cars and cause accidents. According to the observer, 'the leading causes of traffic crashes in Jamaica are proceeding at high speed with no regard to road conditions; failing to keep to the near side or to the proper traffic lane; pedestrians walking or standing in the road; turning right without due care; and overtaking improperly on the offside'. If your solution to undisciplined driving starts with 'if everyone would just obey the traffic laws,' then that is an unrealistic solution. Of course everyone should obey the traffic laws, but telling people to behave better does not guarantee that they will, especially in a country with such a toxic driving culture as Jamaica.

Whilst this is not an exhaustive list of problems that the point applies to, they serve as a bottom line to which the tendency to cling to knee jerk resolutions cause stagnation in facets of life that are so crucial to normal function of everyday life. In conclusion, unrealistic solutions to our problems are causing more harm to society than good. Instead of wasting precious time by coveting meaningless and powerless quick fixes, let's focus on prioritizing solutions that will actually make a difference and can be implemented.

References

https://www.simplypsychology.org/capitalism.html
https://www.consumeraffairs.com/insurance/male-vs-female-driving-statistics.html
https://www.jamaicaobserver.com/2026/05/25/road-deaths-pass-100-mark-big-28-per-cent-reduction-recorded/