"Unintended Consequences"

All life is unintended consequences. No one can reliably predict the future, even when it matters very much, such as in weather emergencies. Life today is the product of evolution -- unintended consequences. All creativity depends on unintended consequences to produce novelty. If we created only what we intended, nothing much new would come about. 

The fear of unintended consequences expresses itself in the precautionary principle. This is where you dream up all the terrible scenarios of a proposed action, and become so paralyzed you don't do anything. Of course one needs to be cautious with the unpredictable. With vast power, only more so. 

Beekeeping has the record for the most spectacular unintended consequence, and yet the principle legacy of that fiasco is that here in the US we can't import bees from other countries, even ones which have never had African bees, such as Chile. What I wouldn't give to get queens from Chile or Argentina! 

There is no crystal ball which can predict the outcome of our actions today. Wisdom dictates caution, but the world can only be made better by seeing a future filled with potential successes, -- not flag under the weight of too much fretting and doubt.

PLB

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