Hidden Mechanics
The mechanisms, decisions and unintended consequences hidden inside ordinary historical problems. No wars. No empires. No famous villains. Just systems behaving exactly as their incentives designed them to.
Institutional Failure
The Challenger Decision Chain
Engineers said don't launch. NASA pushed back. One manager was asked to take off his engineering hat. Seventy three seconds later Challenger broke apart.
Institutional Inertia
The Great Stink of London 1858
Cholera had killed tens of thousands. Reports had been written. Committees had met. Nothing changed — until Parliament itself couldn't function from the smell.
More Hidden Mechanics articles coming soon.