SHORT TERM VERSUS LONG TERM ISSUES AS SEEN BY AI.
“Why do governments avoid near-term pain, even if that amplifies longer-term costs?”
GPT4 answered: “Governments often prioritize near-term pain avoidance due to electoral cycles, political pressures, and the need for public support. Short-term benefits may secure votes or address immediate crises, even at the expense of long-term consequences. The complexity and uncertainty of long-term issues are challenging for policymakers. This short-termism can hinder the development of policies that serve society’s broader interests in the long run.”
“Why do individuals do the same?”
GPT4 answered: “Humans tend to avoid near-term pain due to cognitive biases and psychological factors. Present bias, for instance, makes immediate rewards and consequences appear more significant than future ones. Additionally, humans have difficulty accurately predicting long-term outcomes, leading to a focus on short-term gratification. Uncertainty, fear of failure, and aversion to change also contribute to this preference for avoiding short-term discomfort, even if it compromises long-term success.”
If these predictions are correct then it doesn’t bode well for the environment which desperately needs planning and actions outside of the short term electoral cycle. Not a very hopeful outlook for the children of today who have no say in electoral decisions, with most of the older generations too concerned with the status quo.
