--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What worries me is that we are…" description: "\"What worries me is that we are increasingly enmeshed in incompetent systems, that is, systems that exhibit pathological behaviour but cant fix themselv..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6de/john-naughton-48958_behaviour_what-worries-me-is-that-we-are-increasin_2108723.jpg" --- # What worries me is that we are increasingly enmeshed in… ![“What worries me is that we are increasingly enmeshed in incompetent systems, that is, systems that exhibit pathological behaviour but cant fix themselves.” quote by John Naughton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6de/john-naughton-48958_behaviour_what-worries-me-is-that-we-are-increasin_2108723.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6de/john-naughton-48958_behaviour_what-worries-me-is-that-we-are-increasin_2108723.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6de/john-naughton-48958_behaviour_what-worries-me-is-that-we-are-increasin_2108723.jpg) > “What worries me is that we are increasingly enmeshed in incompetent systems, that is, systems that exhibit pathological behaviour but cant fix themselves.” [John Naughton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-naughton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Complex systems can become self‑destructive when they lack self‑correction **In simple terms:** Systems can be broken and self‑repairing Key Takeaway Design resilient systems Themes systems incompetence pathology Mood cautious analytical Type critical technical When to use this quote - software engineering - government policy - organizational design Key Concepts systems theory complexity science Questions to Reflect On - What mechanisms ensure self‑repair? - How to detect hidden systemic flaws? A Different Perspective Fixing one part may not solve whole system issues ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Behaviour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behaviour/) [Cant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cant/) [Exhibits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/exhibits/) [Incompetent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/incompetent/) [Incompetent Systems](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/incompetent-systems-4247475/) [Increasingly Enmeshed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/increasingly-enmeshed-4247477/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Systems](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/systems/) [Technology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/technology/) [Worries](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worries/) [Worries Increasingly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worries-increasingly-4247476/) [Worry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worry/) ## Related quotes > [In both religion and science, some people are dishonest, exploitative, incompetent and exhibit other human failings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-sheldrake/in-both-religion-and-science-some-people-are-dishonest-exploitative/) [Rupert Sheldrake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-sheldrake/) > [The view outside was much more important than the exhibits.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/minoru-yamasaki/the-view-outside-was-much-more-important-than-the-exhibits/) [Minoru Yamasaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/minoru-yamasaki/) > [Oh - oh, why is it that the members of a family feel privileged to treat one another with a cruelty they would not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fannie-hurst/oh-oh-why-is-it-that-the-members-of-a-family-feel-privileged-to-treat/) [Fannie Hurst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fannie-hurst/) > [If liberals had been in charge of the Arizona memorial, it would probably have featured an exhaustive exhibit about the internment of Japanese Americans…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mona-charen/if-liberals-had-been-in-charge-of-the-arizona-memorial-it-would/) [Mona Charen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mona-charen/) > [The best poets, after all, exhibit only a tame and civil side of nature. They have not seen the west side of any mountain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-best-poets-after-all-exhibit-only-a-tame-and-civil-side-of-nature/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [When will conventional good manners become attractive? When will ladies of fashion exhibit their shoulders a little less and their affability and wit a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/honor-de-balzac/when-will-conventional-good-manners-become-attractive-when-will/) [Honore de Balzac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/honor-de-balzac/) > [The most important thing about Jazz at Lincoln Center is the fact that it's the first time that perhaps the most important art form…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rafael-vinoly/the-most-important-thing-about-jazz-at-lincoln-center-is-the-fact/) [Rafael Vinoly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rafael-vinoly/) > [For it is the natural tendency of the ignorant to believe what is not true. In order to overcome that tendency it is not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-mencken/for-it-is-the-natural-tendency-of-the-ignorant-to-believe-what-is-not/) [H. L. Mencken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-mencken/) > [If the system exhibits a structure which can be represented by a mathematical equivalent, called a mathematical model, and if the objective can be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-dantzig/if-the-system-exhibits-a-structure-which-can-be-represented-by-a/) [George Dantzig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-dantzig/) > [it's not my job to preach a sermon. Art is anyhow a homily. My job is to speak in living images, not in arguments.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikolai-gogol/it-s-not-my-job-to-preach-a-sermon-art-is-anyhow-a-homily-my-job-is/) [Nikolai Gogol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikolai-gogol/) > [I think movies are now like going to a museum and seeing the latest exhibit - people just aren't going. It really is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/parker-posey/i-think-movies-are-now-like-going-to-a-museum-and-seeing-the-latest/) [Parker Posey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/parker-posey/) > [Being a powerful woman who also exhibits great warmth is an incredible feat because people think that to be powerful you have to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-swift/being-a-powerful-woman-who-also-exhibits-great-warmth-is-an/) [Taylor Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-swift/) > ["Natural" is a very dangerous word to use about sexuality ... Our society's notions of normality are completely fake and meta-trendy, since they rely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susie-bright/natural-is-a-very-dangerous-word-to-use-about-sexuality-our-society-s/) [Susie Bright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susie-bright/) > [I am happy to exhibit, but not to put myself on exhibition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-cocteau/i-am-happy-to-exhibit-but-not-to-put-myself-on-exhibition/) [Jean Cocteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-cocteau/) > [The history of mankind interests us only as it exhibits a steady gain of truth and right, in the incessant conflict which it records…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-history-of-mankind-interests-us-only-as-it-exhibits-a-steady-gain/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) ## More by John Naughton > [Appeasement, said Winston Churchill, consists of being nice to a crocodile in the hope that he will eat you last. At the moment, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-naughton/appeasement-said-winston-churchill-consists-of-being-nice-to-a/) [John Naughton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-naughton/) > [Computer programmers tend, by and large, to be quirky and highly individualistic. Trying to organize or manage such awkward characters is normally as thankless…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-naughton/computer-programmers-tend-by-and-large-to-be-quirky-and-highly/) [John Naughton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-naughton/) > [“It is too early to tell whether the Internet’s effect on media will be as radical as that of the printing press. It is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-naughton/it-is-too-early-to-tell-whether-the-internet-s-effect-on-media-will/) [John Naughton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-naughton/) > [A paradigm is a powerful theoretical and methodological framework which defines the working lives of thousands of intelligent and disciplined minds. And paradigms do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-naughton/a-paradigm-is-a-powerful-theoretical-and-methodological-framework/) [John Naughton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-naughton/) > [Nostalgia isn't a business model](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-naughton/nostalgia-isn-t-a-business-model/) [John Naughton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-naughton/) > [Elegance? It may seem odd to non-scientists, but there is an aesthetic in software as there is in every other area of intellectual endeavour.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-naughton/elegance-it-may-seem-odd-to-non-scientists-but-there-is-an-aesthetic/) [John Naughton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-naughton/) > [To say that Sputnik gave rise to some concern in the United States would be the understatement of the century. The truth is that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-naughton/to-say-that-sputnik-gave-rise-to-some-concern-in-the-united-states/) [John Naughton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-naughton/) [Explore all 8 John Naughton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-naughton/) ## More Behaviour quotes > [Nobody has the right to put another under such a difficulty that he must either hurt the person by telling the truth or hurt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/nobody-has-the-right-to-put-another-under-such-a-difficulty-that-he/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [“Do you keep pace with those around you, or do you decide yourself just how you will live your life? The truth is...only you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-goodier/do-you-keep-pace-with-those-around-you-or-do-you-decide-yourself-just/) [Steve Goodier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-goodier/) > [I don't see much future for the Americans ... it's a decayed country. And they have their racial problem, and the problem of social…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-hitler/i-don-t-see-much-future-for-the-americans-it-s-a-decayed-country-and/) [Adolf Hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-hitler/) > [“To live without any regret is to act right.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/to-live-without-any-regret-is-to-act-right/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [High testosterone levels have been proven to make men more likely to commit crimes. The tendency in men toward risky behaviour keeps turning up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodney-stark/high-testosterone-levels-have-been-proven-to-make-men-more-likely-to/) [Rodney Stark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodney-stark/) > [No one likes to admit they are racist or bear prejudices. Nor do they even like to be open and honest when they witness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-jacques/no-one-likes-to-admit-they-are-racist-or-bear-prejudices-nor-do-they/) [Martin Jacques](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-jacques/) > [I think it's a very central tenet to it yes, it is. I can't bear it, I can't bear inequality, I can't bear bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-suzman/i-think-it-s-a-very-central-tenet-to-it-yes-it-is-i-can-t-bear-it-i/) [Janet Suzman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-suzman/) > [Look, I was only given a year or two to come up with tunes for this record, and when all but eight of them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-gorrie/look-i-was-only-given-a-year-or-two-to-come-up-with-tunes-for-this/) [Alan Gorrie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-gorrie/) > [Behaviour is a mirror in which everyone shows his image.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vinesh/behaviour-is-a-mirror-in-which-everyone-shows-his-image/) [Vinesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vinesh/) > [There's a wow factor associated with my name. It could be due to my work as well as my behaviour.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/prosenjit-chatterjee/there-s-a-wow-factor-associated-with-my-name-it-could-be-due-to-my/) [Prosenjit Chatterjee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/prosenjit-chatterjee/) > [The individualism of current economic theory is manifest in the purely self-interested behaviour it generally assumes. It has no real place for fairness, malevolence,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-e-daly/the-individualism-of-current-economic-theory-is-manifest-in-the/) [Herman E. Daly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-e-daly/) > [“There's no difference between a madman and a professor...it should be clear to you in the way they dress, act and think.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/there-s-no-difference-between-a-madman-and-a-professor-it-should-be/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [Modern man, seeking a middle position in the evaluation of sense impression and thought, can, following Plato , interpret the process of understanding nature…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-pauli/modern-man-seeking-a-middle-position-in-the-evaluation-of-sense/) [Wolfgang Pauli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-pauli/) > [“I think this is one bad side of a mirror; it helps us to see the reflection of the effects of our own actions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/i-think-this-is-one-bad-side-of-a-mirror-it-helps-us-to-see-the/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [A lot of celebrities just want money, fame, power, fancy cars, houses all over the world and have people BOW DOWN to them. To…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-manson/a-lot-of-celebrities-just-want-money-fame-power-fancy-cars-houses-all/) [Shirley Manson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-manson/) [Browse all 696 Behaviour quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behaviour/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "What worries me is that we are increasingly enmeshed in incompetent systems, that is, systems that exhibit pathological behaviour but cant fix themselves.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Naughton" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-naughton/what-worries-me-is-that-we-are-increasingly-enmeshed-in-incompetent/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Behaviour" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-naughton/what-worries-me-is-that-we-are-increasingly-enmeshed-in-incompetent/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6de/john-naughton-48958_behaviour_what-worries-me-is-that-we-are-increasin_2108723.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6de/john-naughton-48958_behaviour_what-worries-me-is-that-we-are-increasin_2108723.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6de/john-naughton-48958_behaviour_what-worries-me-is-that-we-are-increasin_2108723.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“What worries me is that we are increasingly enmeshed in incompetent systems, that is, systems that exhibit…” — John Naughton", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "John Naughton", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-naughton/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "What worries me is that we...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-naughton/what-worries-me-is-that-we-are-increasingly-enmeshed-in-incompetent/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-naughton/what-worries-me-is-that-we-are-increasingly-enmeshed-in-incompetent/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```