Systems Thinking And Secret Police

Systems Thinking Is Brain Rot For Analysts

Timber Stinson-Schroff | Blundercheck | 18th September 2025

Recovering systems thinker explains why adopting this model of analysis is harmful, especially to young, impressionable analysts who think they have the whole world worked out. "Despite the language it’s cloaked in, systems thinking puts you in a minigame mindset. Immediately you’re looking for shortcuts. Leverage points = silver bullets. The only game worth playing is the long game" (2,000 words)

Puzzle: Play Nomido, the Browser’s daily word game.

The Secret Police Playbook

Christian Gläßel & Adam Scharpf | Can We Still Govern? | 13th March 2026

The most powerful tool for an authoritarian regime wanting to build a loyal and efficient secret police force is not extremism, but career anxiety. "Career-pressured officers 'detour' through repressive units not because they are fanatics, but because the detour is the only viable path upward." Create a system that offers advancement to low-quality officers with stagnant careers and... voila (2,600 words)