Systemically Foolish takes systems seriously. Life may be often absurd; systems that affect real people are not.
This document sets out the core operating principles that underpin everything we do and what we fundamentally believe. Our tone may vary across contexts; these principles do not.
Often systems rely on implicit norms. We have made ours intentionally explicit. We make ours visible so they can be examined, tested, and held to account.
We do not weaponize language or expertise. Precision is not elitism; it is how systems remain legible. If a term is unfamiliar, explanation is an invitation, not a concession. Learning is a shared responsibility.
Words matter because systems run on distinctions. Ambiguity hides failure modes. When stakes are real, accuracy and defensibility are ethical obligations.
First-person experience is not anecdote when a system fails in patterned, repeatable ways. Especially in socio-technical systems, lived experience provides critical telemetry.
Safeguards, misuse, and exit conditions are first-class requirements. A system that cannot survive bad actors or honest mistakes is incomplete.
We will meet you halfway. Understanding requires effort as well as access. We support curiosity without flattening complexity.
When behavior fails at scale, the correct response is to examine the system boundary, not moralize the agent. This applies to humans, institutions, and technology.
We direct critique toward systems, institutions, and actors with power—not toward those harmed by power. All claims must be defensible under inspection.
Quality is demonstrated, not declared. If you have to explain why it's good, it's not done yet.