Would we have clearly demonstrated our inability to control our impulsive behaviour and hurl blame at something that had nothing to do with the failure of the system which we had chosen to trust? I think so.
The fact that this kind of situation is worth considering says a lot about the power of forethought, which we are all capable of. Given a few seconds of consideration before grabbing the monitor and hurling it, we would instantly know that not only would we be losing control, but we would clearly be blaming the wrong thing.
The monitor may have displayed system failure to whomever looked at it, but was it the cause? No. If we do end up with a monitor smashed on the pavement, we will need to replace it and continue to replace it until we are able to recognize that the monitor is not to blame, but repairing or replacing the software will usually solve the problem.
If this scenario seems logical, then why do we continue to blame people for their actions without gathering more information about why they might be acting the way they are? Why do we just assume someone is an idiot when it is quite possible that they were trained a certain way and they just don't know any better?
I'm not ruling out the possibility of an individual's ineptness, but in many cases front line workers get the blame for serious errors and compromises within an organization. Sometimes the blame and subsequent hostility can lead to violence which, if the situation were carefully considered beforehand, would probably not happen.
I hope many consider this information and work on reducing impulsiveness and fast blame, so we can reduce negative outcomes in both our workplaces and our lives.
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