“The root of the CDC’s behavior was simple: fear. They didn’t want to take any action for which they might later be blamed”.

From the book “The premonition”. Pretty much sums up much of the pandemic response. 😥 Fear of taking the wrong action is greater than fear of inaction.

In tech we know this mental disease well and how it breeds mediocrity if left unchecked. To combat it we have a “bias to action” and “blame-free post mortem culture”. Nobody is punished for making mistakes, only for failing to learn from them.

But then, in tech we aren’t charged with keeping millions of people
alive and healthy. I can’t imagine what that burden of responsibility does to one’s confidence or risk tolerance.