WTAF is a problem?

Yes, that’s right, some people consider Whales Treating Animals Fairly (WTAF) a problem – who’d have thought it?

Well, therein lies the problem. There will always be subtle differences in interpretation that lead to different perspectives on what any given problem might be, especially where there are variances in neurology that lead to different experiences or perceptions of reality. So while I have no issue with WTAF, those who enjoy or otherwise take some positive out of Whales Treating Animals Unfairly (WTAU) would certainly see things differently.

The problem with problems

The problem I find in identifying problems is that I don’t know which perspective is accurate, so I don’t know which solution is appropriate. Take the image below. 

At first, I see floating blocks that a man is walking across, yet, an instant later, I recognise that it is an optical illusion and there is, in fact, no floating crossing, just some clever use of paint. This is an inherent part of the problem with problems since first impressions can differ wildly from more considered interpretations.

The problem with the problem of problems

The problem with the problem of problems is that there’s also the problem with the problem of problems in problems. Perhaps it may have been acknowledged that the problem possesses certain characteristics, but there’s always the possibility that this assessment is not complete – if anything, the only certainty is that the assessment is incomplete.

The problem with the problem of problems in problems

If the only certainty of a problem is that we do not know what the problem is—with certainty—then no solution possesses a certain outcome. Yet, people still act towards solving problems and succeed in this. So, perhaps there is another way to view problems to avoid infinite regression.

To problem solve

Before writing this, I looked in the Oxford Dictionary of Psychology since it’s full of interesting problems. Funnily enough, the word problem does not exist as a lone entry in this book, so I will provide the entry for problem solving:

The most interesting part of this definition is the etymology. A quick search online takes me to https://www.etymonline.com/word/problem where there are some interesting bits of information.

Problem (n.)

According to www.etymonline.com, here is the late 14th Century definition of probleme, which is from the Old French problème (14c.) and directly from Latin problema:

This comes from the Greek problēma which is:

Problēma literally means:

So, from these definitions, a problem is a form of a puzzle. One that has been put forward or proposed. Ballein is of interest, as it is “to throw”. Perhaps part of identifying a problem is to throw things at it until it becomes clearer. Much like in The Invisible Man, the only way to identify the problem is to throw something over it, to provide contrast, and to give it a definition by seeing how a known object interacts with it. Perhaps problems do not define themselves, but that which gets rejected by the problem does. Perhaps, much like our senses, we rely on what is not absorbed by a problem to see what that problem is. Perhaps my sensory sensitivities, hyperactivity, and need to finish puzzles have led me to fear problems as I see their illusiveness as a failure of my own rather than allowing myself to accept the mystery inherent to their immediate verisimilitude[1] (I have been desperate to use that word somewhere).

Dangerous problems

There is more offered by the website on etymology, however. See here: 

Considering a problem “a difficulty” is an interesting change in meaning for problems, as a difficulty is something that must be overcome. It also raises the question of whose responsibility it is to overcome this difficulty while not giving any insight into what might have caused this problem in the first place. Perhaps this is due to a monumental shift in Western culture, as we see in the second part, “proposition requiring some operation to be performed.” This functional approach roughly ties in with the advent of the Renaissance and the end of the Dark Ages, taking our culture closer towards the individualistic and capitalist point it is currently at.

Things get even darker when the phrase started to be used towards ethnic groups. For example, “_____ problem” was used in antisemitic literature from 1882 (according to etymonline). Here, not only are problems used to denigrate and attack a group of people, but they also imply a solution by highlighting that those people are a problem themselves. Then, the phrase that makes my blood boil:

So, the problem I have with problems is that the term has been weaponised against ethnicities, disabled people and those who do not naturally work within a capitalist society.

Perhaps returning to the Greek definition would be the best approach for me.

[1] “The appearance of being true or real” with an example given of “the detail gives the novel some verisimilitude”, which seems apt in my case, as I desperately seek details so I can understand the problems, yet don’t address them, so never get the confirmation of my hypotheticals!