Factory Settings

Last week I had the dreaded computer crash. We all know it can happen so we protect our machines with firewalls, antivirus software, backup drives and memory sticks etc, don’t we? Prudent precautions prevent a severe inconvenience becoming a disaster. Returning to factory settings is painful but provides a firm foundation on which we can safely build.

Back in 1972 a nutritionist researcher from Queen Elizabeth College, John Yudkin, wrote his prophetic work  ‘Pure, White and Deadly’, in which he described the many dangers of sugar.  In 1975 it was joined by ‘The Saccharin Disease’, which provided the surgical perspective on the epidemic by Royal Naval Surgeon, Terence Cleave. Both authors pointed to the disastrous impact of refined carbohydrates, particularly sugar, on human health. By comparing the disease profiles of different populations around the world Cleave showed very clearly what befalls us when our diets depart from the evolutionary, ‘factory settings’ of traditional, natural foodstuffs. Civilised societies are now rife with coronary disease, diabetes, dental caries, peptic ulcer, obesity, varicose veins and many forms of cancer not seen in tribal populations adhering to traditional diets.

A parallel malaise has befallen much of Western industry; not through technology itself, which has bestowed enormous benefit on mankind, but in how forces of greed and corruption have led to gross distortions in wealth distribution through exploitation and profiteering. It may start innocently enough, perhaps through the opportunistic acquisition of a synergistic partner.  A little while later, in the name of efficiency jobs are lost. Boardroom packages grow ‘to reflect the complexity and responsibility of the role’ and ‘to attract the best executive talent for the future growth of the business’. Subtly, and sometimes swiftly, the controlling mind of the enterprise has lost touch with the workforce and has brought it to the brink of instability. The business has changed so much it may no longer be possible to recognise its origins. Should the business fail the chances are that, like a viral infection, many of the executives will be eagerly welcomed into other businesses and find themselves feted for their wrecker-ball insensitivities. They may never pause to ask what went wrong or how businesses are meant to live.

So can such situations be avoided? Around the world co-operative enterprises are enjoying a renaissance. Organisations like the UK’s John Lewis Partnership are showcasing the benefits of employee ownership. Warring communities everywhere can become reconciled when they are prepared to recognise their common humanitarian needs. While fully embracing the complexity of  modern life, it seems to me that the fundamental question that always needs to be asked is “What would Optimum Health require in this situation?” The answer often points to some fundamental disciplines that have been dropped or massaged – the PC backup, the healthy diet, budgetary controls, non-executive oversight and, most importantly, workforce consultation.

Being mindful of, and providing for, the health of each cell in our body, each member of our community, each worker in the business etc will ensure that we stay close to factory settings in our affairs. We will protect our personal health and form healthy relationships around us ever conscious of our role in the bigger picture. We will seek healthy partnerships within and between businesses, constantly learning from our efforts, ever vigilant against greed and corruption, and when necessary, ready to reboot.