On Making Timely Decisions
A revised essay from AP English Language & Composition. The original was handwritten in class, timed, and in response to a 2022 AP exam prompt based on a quote by Colin Powell.
“[W]e do not have the luxury of collecting information indefinitely. At some point, before we can have every possible fact in hand, we have to decide. The key is not to make quick decisions, but to make timely decisions.”
-Colin Powell
Powell’s claim is valid in that making a decision must often be done in a timely manner to reach any sort of decision at all, but it is also important to be aware of the human tendency to rely on questionable rules of thumb to make these decisions, and to be prepared to own up to or repair the damage of poor decisions.
If one considers the possibilities for too long before settling on a course of action, then this becomes inaction. Indecisive people may struggle with making simple choices about what to wear or eat, but it can also have a larger impact over time. For example, I tend to be rather indecisive, and in trying to weigh out the best option, I may waste time, miss the chance to act out the decision, and spend more time worrying about the options than actually stepping forward. This can make people feel trapped or held back in their uncertainty.
In a song called “Backseat” by Neanderthal, the feelings of this indecisiveness are described in this way: “I always drive my own life from the backseat/Driving too slow in the fast lane ‘til you pass me/I can never make decisions, let things happen/Always controlled by the bad thoughts I was having.” The narrator is feeling behind and out of control of their own life, watching it like a spectator. This is why making timely decisions is important— we can take responsibility, even for little details, rather than letting life and opportunities pass us by. In this case, making a quick decision is beneficial to reach any sort of decision at all, and it allows us to focus on carrying out the decision rather than being overcome by the options.
However, there is also a tendency as humans to make quick decisions based off of questionable rules of thumb. In psychology, these are known as heuristics. To make split-second decisions for survival, the brain developed mechanisms to quickly retrieve information and make a choice. These, while helpful in some cases, can also create biases or poor decisions.
The two main types of heuristics are availability and representativeness. An availability heuristic makes an assumption based off what information is most plentiful and easy to retrieve, but that does not always mean that it is true. An example of this is assuming that planes are more dangerous than cars because we hear stories about plane crashes or other malfunctions, yet more car accidents occur on a daily and yearly basis. Making a quick decision off of information that is easily available may lead to incorrect conclusions.
Representativeness heuristics come in the form of stereotypes, or making judgments about a person or situation by how similar they are to what we think they “should” be. This is dangerous if we use this rule of thumb to make harmful assumptions that lead to poor decisions. So while being able to make quick decisions can be helpful, we must also be aware that humans tend to base split-second decisions off of questionable information.
To counter the potential consequences of a poor but quick decision, it is essential to own up to or repair the damage caused by these choices. It is not enough just to say that a decision had to be made and it is what it is. There are natural consequences for some courses of action, such as starting a fight or declaring war. If the choice or decision is wrong, we must own up to it and try to remedy the situation as best as possible.
For example, in the youth court system, where juveniles are diverted from the traditional juvenile justice system to be evaluated by a jury of peers who determine the appropriate consequences, the goal is to maintain a sense of accountability and responsibility for action, even split-second choices made with no ill intent. The impact of these choices can be larger than the decision itself. This is important because it is necessary to understand that every action has a reaction, and so every quick decision may also come with consequences.
If the people making the decisions, for example, politicians declaring war, are removed from the consequences, then it is essential to remind leaders that while quick decisions may be necessary, there is always an effect after that may involve more action to repair.
Therefore, Powell’s claim is valid in that making timely decisions is important and necessary at times, but we must also be careful of relying on rules of thumb while being prepared to own up to or fix poor decisions.