The 'alignment problem' of our systems has festered for too long

If we don't fix our systems, they'll eventually collapse under the weight of their own contradictions

- ANURAG BEHAR

In every sphere of human endeavor—be it business, politics, administration, academia, or civil society—we operate under a quiet but pervasive assumption: those who rise to the top do so because they are the most competent, the most suited for leadership. This belief is so deeply embedded in our collective consciousness that we seldom pause to question it. Yet, a dispassionate examination reveals that the upper echelons of any field are not exclusively populated by the best and brightest. Instead, they mirror the broader population—some are exceptional, many are mediocre, and a troubling number are woefully inadequate or even harmful. My last column was about this.

This phenomenon is not merely a matter of individual shortcomings; it is a systemic failure. At the heart of this dysfunction lies what might be termed the 'alignment problem of human systems'—a chronic disconnect between the broader good and welfare of society on one hand, and the goals, actions, and behaviors of individuals as well as institutions on the other.