In The Laws of Human Nature, Robert Greene describes the Law of Shortsightedness as the tendency to think in the short term, swayed by emotions and immediate needs, often at the expense of long-term success and understanding.

The law revolves around our evolutionary predisposition towards addressing immediate concerns – such as hunger or danger – while often ignoring long-term implications. This can manifest in a variety of modern situations. While these immediate reactions were beneficial for early human survival, they can be detrimental in our complex, modern world.

A classic military example of the Law of Shortsightedness is the Maginot Line before World War II.

The Maginot Line

The French constructed the Maginot Line in the 1930s as a line of concrete fortifications, obstacles, and weapon installations along its borders with Germany and Italy. It was one of the most extensive lines of defense ever built and represented the French belief that it would deter a direct German attack or slow them down sufficiently for the French to mobilize their forces.

Why was this shortsighted?

1. Fixed defense was outdated: The fortifications were built with a static defense mentality, based on the trench warfare experience of World War I. However, warfare was evolving, and mobile warfare (such as the German Blitzkrieg or “lightning war” strategy) would prove to be a dominant strategy in World War II. This should have been clear since highly mobile weapons like tanks and airplanes had already been used in World War I.
2. The line could be bypassed easily: When World War II broke out, instead of attacking the heavily fortified Maginot Line directly, the German forces went around it, attacking through the Ardennes Forest in Belgium—a route that the French believed to be impassable for a large army. This outflanking maneuver led to the rapid defeat of France in 1940.
3. The line caused diversion of resources: The significant resources, both in terms of money and manpower, diverted to building and manning the Maginot Line might have been better spent on more mobile and flexible defenses or on better equipping and training the French military for a different kind of warfare.

In hindsight, the Maginot Line represents a clear example of shortsightedness. While it was a formidable defensive structure, the French over-relied on it and failed to anticipate the evolution of military strategy and tactics. The decision to invest heavily in this static defense, without considering potential alternative strategies by an adversary, proved disastrous.

Another prominent environmental example of the Law of Shortsightedness is the introduction of Africanized honeybees.

Introduction of Africanized Honeybees

In the 1950s, biologists in Brazil imported African honeybees to crossbreed with local bees, hoping to boost honey production in South America’s tropical climate. Some of these bees escaped from the experimental apiaries in 1957 and began to breed with local bee populations, resulting in the Africanized honeybee.

Why was this shortsighted?

1. The project focused on an immediate goal: The primary objective was to increase honey production without sufficiently weighing potential consequences or implementing secure measures to prevent the African bees from mixing with the local population. But the phenomenon of introduced species resulting in large negative impacts had already been known. Notable examples were the introduction of rabbits to Australia (1859) and the introduction of the European starling (Sturnus vulgaris) into the United States in 1890.
2. Underestimation of Adaptability: The scientists underestimated the aggressive nature and rapid spread of the Africanized bees. The hybrid bees were not only more aggressive but also highly adaptable to various environments.
3. Lack of Containment Protocols: Insufficient measures were taken to contain the bees, leading to their escape and eventual spread throughout the Americas.

The “killer bee” incident serves has helped to put in place more rigorous measures for monitoring, research, and stricter regulation on the importation and experimentation with non-native species.

A common area of shortsightedness is in interpersonal relationships, especially infidelity.

Infidelity in a Relationship

The dynamics of interpersonal relationships can certainly be impacted by the “Law of Shortsightedness”. One such common scenario is prioritizing immediate emotional gratification over long-term relationship health.

Infidelity or having an affair while in a committed relationship or marriage is a frequent example of shortsighted behavior in interpersonal dynamics.

Why is this shortsighted?

1. Infidelity aims for immediate gratification: Immediate gratification is always a red flag. In this case, the cheating partner might be driven by the immediate emotional or physical satisfaction of a new relationship or encounter without considering the long-term consequences. People in the know are also aware that you can’t really keep a secret for long; someone will always slip up eventually.
2. Infidelity merely avoids of relationship issues: Instead of addressing issues within their primary relationship, the individual might seek solace outside, seeing it as an easier alternative to confronting and resolving internal conflicts.
3. Infidelity underestimates consequences: The individual might believe they can keep the affair secret, underestimating the emotional toll of deceit on themselves and the risk of causing severe pain to their partner. One so driven to be unfaithful is subject to so many cognitive biases: they are not thinking properly.

The lure of immediate emotional satisfaction can often obscure the long-term implications of actions, leading to decisions that one might regret.

How can we manage shortsightedness?

Develop perspective. Instead of just reacting to immediate stimuli or emotions, try to envision the bigger picture. How will a decision impact you or others in a month, a year, or a decade?

Slow down: In an age of rapid communication and instant gratification, it’s beneficial to slow down your decision-making process. This could be as simple as taking a few deep breaths, sleeping on a decision, or setting aside time for regular reflection.

Seek feedback. Consulting with others can provide alternative viewpoints and might highlight long-term considerations you hadn’t thought of.

Study history. By understanding historical events, patterns, and outcomes, you can better predict and consider the future implications of current actions.

Practice foresight. Actively train yourself to think long-term. This could involve setting future goals, playing strategy games, or engaging in activities like chess that require thinking several steps ahead.

Control your emotions. Cultivating practices like mindfulness, meditation, or journaling can help in recognizing and managing impulsive feelings and reactions.

By understanding and acknowledging our predisposition towards shortsightedness, we can take active steps to think more long-term, leading to better decisions and outcomes.

Next up, the Law of Defensiveness.

(Q.C. 230814)