Philosophy of Problems

Well, it's only a problem if you admit that it is. Perhaps, if it's ignored long enough, it will disappear, like the winter into spring, and the spring into summer, and the summer into fall. Maybe winter won't come back at all after that.

Having been a member of the rather dubious crew known as 'tech support', I can emphatically attest that yes, there are problems in this world. Some real, some self-made, some almost wholly inconceivable. I once had a customer ask me, 'so, tell me, do people often call with problems?'

What other answer is there to that question? Yes, people call with problems. There will always be problems. Crashes, bugs, glitches, mistakes, not to mention I-D-10-T errors, are all omnipresent in any industry, with any system, with any profession.

Now, having said that, I can also claim understanding and empathy for those on the side of the problem. Not that the person experiencing the problem is stupid, because I spoke with many brilliant and wonderful people, but because they just did not know the answer and were rightfully turning to someone who knew more. I've had my fair share of issues, and I've spoken with plenty of (admittedly, overseas) tech support employees from at least two different companies. They've annoyed me, and sometimes I've felt even more stuck in a problem after speaking with them. It's awful to not get a convenient answer when the world is full of conveniences.

The best thing to do is build a network of support. Whether that network is based in tech supports, or friends, or family, it's a good network of information to have. It's not often that a perfect answer is found, and it's even rarer to find an easy and convenient answer, especially when the problem has grown to large proportions. Ignoring problems only allows that problem to engorge itself on time, and it will rarely disappear if it is allowed a free meal like that.

Vanity (2007)