Read andreflect, consider, revisit, return

A reflection on wealth, capacity, public need, and priority-setting: having the means to attempt something does not settle what should be done with those means.

Conversations

Resources Do Not Choose Our Priorities

Resources create capacity. They do not choose a priority list. A person or institution with substantial means can attempt things that would otherwise be impossible, but what should be attempted is another question.

That question involves values, rights, obligations, effectiveness, competence, risk, and disagreement about who should decide. A simple comparison of costs cannot settle it.

Sometimes a community lacks the means to address a problem. Sometimes it has substantial capacity but has not chosen, organized, financed, or implemented a workable response. Those are different situations.

Resources expand what can be attempted. Values and institutions still determine which possibilities become commitments.

More in Conversations

All Conversations posts
Subscribe via RSS
Policy details

Shipping / fulfilment: No fulfilment applies to reading or sharing this article.

Returns: Nothing in the article itself is returnable.

Refunds & cancellations: Reading is free, so nothing is refundable.

Disclaimer: Articles are general information as published; verify time-sensitive facts and seek qualified advice where needed.