Is Safetyism Helping Us?

It’s better to be safe than sorry right?

Safety has replaced productivity as an economic and romantic ethos.

Safety also become a personality type: the “safety player.” It’s the business/government manager who does nothing to not risk making any mistakes.

Safety also became a generational movement. Those prizing safety and thus disinterested in taking romantic or professional chances have formed the Satori generation in Japan and the Sampo generation in Korea. In this trend, staying alone and avoiding risks is more mainstream than being open to possibilities.

In this rubric, it’s better to do achieve six wins over a year and make zero mistakes rather than achieve 90 wins and make 2–3 mistakes. Don’t get your feet wet. Don’t try new things since you might make a mistake. “Don’t f- up” is the “cardinal rule” in some organizations.

In some government agencies’ evaluation systems, the most important goal is to not have interpersonal problems. The mission is not oriented toward achieving results or creating value for one’s country. It’s playing not to lose, not playing to win. Don’t ruffle any feathers.

Or in romance, it’s better to not try rather than try and fail. It’s better to not have loved than to have loved and lost. One hears the line, “I’d rather be by myself than with the wrong person.” I’ve said it myself.

Following decades of economic growth, these safety player types have thrived because there seemingly is…