ID 10 T Error

I had a co-worker who used to work on the helpdesk for computers. He told me
that, when there was a particularly stupid question from a caller, he would tell them
they had an ID 10 T errorID10T.
So when I look at todays politics, business, and the economics debates, I wonder
am I missing something? Am I having an ID 10 T error?
Maybe you can help me. Heres my confusion:
Have you ever noticed that we tend to get ourselves in to our own messes? Yes?
Then why do we expect:

central banks to fix the banks problems,

governments to fix employment and business problems, and
voters to take care of political problems like the rise of the ultra-right (Trump,
etc.)?

Does the central bank lend businesses and people money?

No. They manage currency and lend banks money overnight.

Do governments exist to create jobs in order to produce goods & services?

No. They just set the rules of engagement and take care of the playing field.

Do voters create the leaders theyre given?

No. They just react to them.

Banks made bad loans, and bad investments, and got overleveraged, and hurt
themselves.
The Central Banks cant fix bad management, but now they are
somehow being blamed for not kick-starting our economies, keeping interest rates
too low, and hurting our savings.
Bankers, heal thyself.
Businesses make junk that falls apart (with the cute name built-in obsolescence)
and do everything possible to force consumers to stick with their products (service
agreements, patents & trademarks, warranties, insurance, etc.)- and then wonder
why consumers arent buying, or cant pay. Business is so focused on making
money, its forgotten to actually create value. Its time to buck-up, get resourceful,
put on your big-boy pants, and start making & doing things that truly make
consumers lives better, help them progress, and dont leave them stuck on the
hamster wheel of buying decaying junk.

Business, accept responsibility again.

Politicians have consistently shown us over the past 50 years that they cannot be
counted upon and are increasingly influenced, or just outright in the pockets of, big
business. And they wonder how someone like Trump has appeared?! They created
him! Their outright lack of regard for the public, laziness in pursuing progress, and
single-minded focus on re-election, have all created the powerless puppet filled
environment where individuals like Trump are considered a viable alternative to the
pathetic status-quo.
Politicians, take back your power.
And all of this revolves around the background of our new world religion: Economics.
The discipline that has had an unfortunate tendency of ignoring realities it cant put
numbers toemotions, pollution, beliefs, progress, pain, death, joy, hope, etc. All
the talk and focus is on moneyas if money can measure everything. How bad was
that earthquake? Well it caused X-million $ in damagekind of the same way we
talk about how successful a Hollywood movie was. Its all about growth, and that
growth is always measured in dollars.
So heres my idiotic question for economics: When did the concept of progress get
stripped away from the idea of growth?... How do we measure the success of a
great career like Gene Wilder? Is it measured in his net worth? Or the lives of
people he touched, and the laughter and joy he created? How about Steve Jobs? Is
his success measured by the amount of money he made with Apple & Pixar? Or the
sheer legacy of creativity, advancement, and progress he left behind? Mother
Teresa? ... Ghandi?... Mandela shall I go on? The obvious answer is that money
has almost nothing to do with their impact on the world. Its an effect, not a cause.
And heres the kicker, any economist will tell you that money is only worth what we
agree uponthe only thing holding up any currency in the world (yes, even gold) is
the fact that you and I both agree upon its value. We trust it.
So wait a minutedoes that mean money is the red herring? The distraction? The
fluttery hand that attracts the eye while the object disappears?I wish it were that
easy.
Have you ever been there when a country breaks down? When the streets get
packed with those emotions that economics cannot measure, and now finally cannot
ignore? Rocks are flying, windows are breaking, cars are burning, and riot police is
in full swing; all the sickening things that happen when a currency goes from hero to
zero and people wonder what theyll use to buy their food tomorrow, and if their
family will have a roof over their heads? Tell me money doesnt mean anything
then.

The fallacy lies in focusing solely on the thing being measured (ie. money) and not
the value, progress, and impact occurring (be it positive or negative). Divorce the
vehicle from the objective! Whats the vision? Whats the goal? Is it $5 million
dollars in donationsor the eradication of cancer!!?
In the case of economic progress, and general societal impact, business has the
most important role to play. The less people spend on constantly replacing crap,
the more we have to buy bigger ticket items, pay down & own our own homes, send
our children to college, and generally improve the entire countrys standard of
living. Not to mention those little side benefits of decreased pollution, better health,
higher literacy, decreased violence & crime, etc. etc. So call me crazy, but catering
consumers who will pay premium prices for premium goods & services, rather than
fleecing folks who are having trouble making ends meet, sounds like a much better
overall business model. Why cant business get behind this?
In truth, my largest ID 10 T error comes when I think of business. We complain
about big business, and its terrible impact on the world in terms of health (think
Monsanto), wealth (think Banks) and environment (think Industry). Yet the solution
is staring us right in the face: The only ones in a position to radically and
effectively change the course and direction of the impact of businessare
businesses themselves.
But as long as both we, and themselves, measure
performance with money alone it just wont happen.
We get what we tolerate. I wonder when well decide its finally enough?