What is an Antipattern?
Before defining antipatterns, we must define a pattern. A pattern is a method of solving a common problem by using a generalized procedure1. Therefore an antipattern is a solution that presents more problems then it addresses2.
Initially, the term antipattern was coined in engineering and software development, but its definition can be used in a much broader sense too. There is already a wide range of resources and literature on antipatterns in engineering and software development. I want to refer the interested reader to Wikipedia and the extensive collection of antipatterns on the c2.com wiki.
I want to devote this website mainly on antipatterns in our social life. However I do not try to be scientific. The examples in my Antipatterns section may not be antipatterns in the strict sense. The only requirement I have to list them here, is that they are an attempt to solve a problem which causes even more problems.
1 Rising, Linda, ed. (1998), The Patterns Handbook: Techniques, Strategies, and Applications: Techniques, Strategies, and Applications, Cambridge University Press
2 http://www.antipatterns.com/briefing/sld003.htm
· 4 June 2008, 20:05 ·
How do you want to die today?
After the horrible attacks on the WTC many people decided to take their car instead of a plane. However, this is actually even more dangerous.
Illiad from userfriendly has found an example for a social antipattern occurring in the aftermath of the attack on the WTC in Dan Gardner’s book “Risk: The Science and Politics of Fear”: Immediately after the attacks, people became aware of the threat of dieing in a hijacked plane. Thus, in order to avoid this threat, many decided to take their cars instead. However, there is a 1 in 135,000 chance of being killed in a hijacked plane, the likelihood of dieing in a car crash is 1 in 6000 per year. It has been calculated that this “solution” actually caused the death of an additional 1,595 people. Although the risk of a terrorist attack involving planes seemed to be pretty high, taking your car is still much more dangerous.
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