Part of learning is learning to see patterns. Once we’ve learned a pattern we usually can’t unsee it.

It’s what leads to knowing which limbs to move to walk or ride the bicycle.

It’s what enables us to read maps, to have an idea of the time of the day, or to solve equations.

It’s also how we learn problem-solving.

We learn a method and apply it. When people like a method a lot, they end up with the “man with the hammer syndrome”.

Sometimes, however, people reverse engineer the problem.

They have a favorite solution and see its lack as a pattern. It’s the tendency to define a problem by the lack of their favorite solution to it. Take for example the following: The problem is we need more diversity. The problem is we need more electric cars. The problem is inequality. The problem is globalization. The problem is capitalism.

Some patterns help, but not all.