Better Government
How to improve government with the Meta-Problem Method
No government on the planet has universal approval from its citizens, and that makes sense. With millions of citizens, each with their own perspectives, government needs to balance many competing priorities and values.
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There are endless problems we could ask our government to tackle to improve our wellbeing and that of the world. But government has limited resources, and so do we. The question then becomes which problem (or cluster of problems) should we choose to solve? Where will our efforts lead to the greatest improvement in our government?
That is a dilemma you can solve with the Meta-Problem. The Meta-Problem Method is about choosing the best problem to solve, but only after you’ve defined the goals you care about, explored your many options, and weighed the trade-offs. To learn more about the Meta-Problem approach, click here.
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Government has many layers and branches working together, so we have many options for where and how to influence it.
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Regular citizens may hesitate to “get political,” but we often underestimate just how deeply government choices impact our lives. Ultimately “politics” is just the way we negotiate our interests, and if we hope to live in a better world, we need to take actions to make our desired future a reality.
What can I do?
Meta-Problem is all about deciding which problem to solve. To figure that out, the key decision we each need to make is what we’re willing to give up personally (time, convenience, money) to solve a given problem.
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In this case, your choices could include working from the inside by committing your career to government service. Or you could use your nights and weekends to volunteer or take political actions.
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Most people get started by picking a single cause they believe in. Working with an organization can help you get over that initial learning curve and start shaping solutions.
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Here are a few key questions to ask yourself.
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Which causes are most important to me personally? Can I get started with something small or get involved with a group to learn what my options are? Talking to other supporters can help inspire you to do more and give you actionable guidance for how to maximize your impact. Talking to people on the other side of the issue can help you understand the complexity and also clarify your beliefs.
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Do I want to work in government directly to deliver the improvements I desire? First-hand experience of the inner workings of government can help you understand why it has so many problems and also give you smarter ideas for how to address them. Local government depends on many volunteer boards to keep the gears turning, often with very limited time required.
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What am I willing and able to do? How can I apply my skillset to this problem? Which options will provide the greatest return compared to the effort involved?
How can I multiply my impact?
With smart focus and a dash of luck, influencing government is a great opportunity to have a huge impact. When your actions shape new policies, hundreds, thousands, or even millions of people can benefit from those changes.
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Choose an example below to learn more about the Meta-Problem framework and how it can help guide your choices.