Wild Problems: A Guide to the Decisions That Define Us

Imagine standing at a crossroads deep in a forest, the paths before you shrouded in mist and shadow. Each route promises a different future, but none comes with a map or a guide. This is the essence of what we call wild problems—those pivotal moments in life where the right choice is not clear, where the outcomes are unknown, and where the stakes are nothing less than who we become. Unlike tame problems, such as following a recipe or navigating a known route, wild problems resist the comforting certainty of data and algorithms. They are personal, subjective, and deeply complex.

We often attempt to bring the tools of science and data to bear on these problems, hoping to measure and quantify the unquantifiable. But this is like searching for lost keys only under the streetlight because the light is better there, ignoring the darkness where the keys might truly lie. The measurable is seductive, but it can mislead us into false confidence.

Consider a friend wrestling with the decision to have a child. Despite listing costs and benefits, the true experience—the profound changes in identity, the unpredictable joys and pains—remain hidden until lived. This uncertainty unnerves us; it tempts us to procrastinate or to seek false certainty.

As we embark on this journey through the landscape of wild problems, we will discover that the answers are not formulas but philosophies for living with uncertainty. We will explore how flourishing, identity, and principles illuminate the path when data cannot. And we will learn how to embrace the unknown not as a threat but as a vital part of a life well lived.

Let us now move beyond understanding what wild problems are, and delve into what truly matters beyond mere pleasure and pain—the deeper concept of flourishing.