At what cost?

“There are no solutions only tradeoffs.”

—Thomas Sowell - American Economist

Does the information explain the true cost and compare the cost to alternatives? Can they explain the cost in terms of its tradeoff is?

What is a cost? The word “solution” gives the impression that a problem is “solved” or “solvable”; meaning once the solution is applied we are then done with the problem - we are free of the problem.

But nothing is “free”. Everything is an evolving byproduct of interactions or tradeoffs. When you hear the word “free” think “hidden cost” or “ignorance”. To make any idea a reality it requires effort, time and/or materials. These three requirements are always produced through someone’s effort, time or materials. Then there cannot be a solution but a trade. Someone’s effort, time and/or material in trade for what?

Something is used up, lost or damaged with every attempt at a solution. This is the tradeoff.

OR sometimes their answers are convenient: like the rich will pay or the illegales we leave or the goverment has the money. These are answers to the question but not the problem.

more on thisQUESTION #4

At what cost? Can this person determine and explain the true cost in money, labor, resources, sacrifice, suffering and compare it to alternatives? Can they show us the math and the method?

Perhaps the hardest question to answer because nothing is free and there are no solutions only tradeoffs. But hard questions are what we want our experts, intellectuals and leaders to address. By Q4 you should know that we don’t need or expect black and white solutions. So if this person is supplying one then they are Stupid or Lying:

If someone claims it “is free” they are either stupid or lying.

If someone claims “no one will suffer or lose money” they are either stupid or lying.

If someone claims “everyone will benefit” they are either stupid or lying.

Not eveyone will win and that is ok. Who loses and by how much is the question.