Predictability–Reliability Versus Vulnerability

As someone who has a background in providing solutions regarding the prediction of human behavior, I was thinking the other day of the conundrum of being predictable as an individual, a society and as a species.

Being predictable is often considered a desirable trait to have since it gives others a sense of how reliable we are.  When we are predictable, others know if we will rise to the occasion and deliver when called upon or if we will collapse and not deliver as needed.  Based on this predictable outcome, others can decide if they should engage with us or not for a given need and situation.

Being predictable also helps us to create a reasonably organized, structured, non-chaotic society (at least to the best of our ability).

However, when we are predictable, the same knowledge can be used to exploit vulnerabilities within individuals and society.  This is common knowledge used by law enforcement, terrorists and other organizations and individuals.

Discovering vulnerabilities provides an opportunity to do one of three things:

1. Remove the vulnerability with an eye towards strengthening the individual, society or species.

2. Exploit the vulnerability for the benefit of others.

3. Exploit the vulnerability at the expense of the person(s) being exploited, possibly putting them in peril.

Remaining unpredictable does not provide protection against such exploitation since it introduces chaos at the individual or society level, thus potentially creating a net negative result for either or both levels.

Perhaps the best answer as to how one’s predictability affects the results in their Life and the result of those who interact with them (for positive or negative reasons) is simply to be more cognizant of the message one sends out when it comes to one’s predictability.

Do you prefer to be chaotic, keeping everyone off balance, including yourself ….

….. or ….

…. do you consider yourself reasonably predictable, in which case have you ever asked yourself the question of whether your level of predictability demonstrates reliability or vulnerability?

Because in the grand scheme of Life, if you are not cognizant of the question (and the answer), you can be sure that someone else may be asking it on your behalf, for your benefit or to your detriment.

Does it matter to you?

Are you sure?

In service and servanthood,

Harry