When Rules Achieve the Opposite
‘Rules are rules.’ This statement is well-known in relation to regulations that, when strictly applied, appear contradictory and illogical. A rule that is actually intended to protect order but achieves the opposite, we called a ‘universe fart’. By Anna Pattermann.
It was an ordinary evening; my partner and I were on our way home after a long day. The sun had already set, and the streetlights cast long shadows on the pavement. As we walked along the street, we noticed two large waste containers standing at the edge of a building. We approached them and realised that they weren’t just filled with the usual rubbish. Instead, several undamaged shelves protruded from the container, neatly stacked as if they had just been placed there.
The shelves were in good condition — nothing was scratched or damaged. We immediately recognised the value of these pieces of furniture; after all, we had recently opened a business ourselves and knew exactly how expensive such shelves could be. We quickly calculated the price in our heads: at least 60 euros, which were about to end up in the rubbish. My partner, just as surprised as I was, didn’t hesitate. He made his way to the container, ready to take the shelves out and bring them home.
But the moment he reached the container, the building’s door opened. A man in uniform stepped out — clearly the site’s security guard. He saw us and walked towards us. We explained that we had seen the shelves and would gladly take them, as they were going to be thrown away anyway. The guard listened calmly and confirmed that the shelves were indeed destined for the rubbish. But then came the surprise: ‘No, that’s not possible,’ he said firmly. ‘The items must be taken to the waste disposal site.’
When Regulations Produce More Waste
We stood there, surprised and confused. It made no sense to us. Why shouldn’t useful items, still in good condition, simply be allowed to be reused? Why should they instead end up in a landfill, where they would inevitably rot and thus contribute to our society’s growing mountains of waste? This behaviour seemed not only irrational but also irresponsible, as it promotes unnecessary consumption and produces more waste — precisely what we urgently need to avoid at a time when global warming is becoming increasingly pressing.
At that moment, the system the guard was following suddenly seemed completely contradictory and illogical. It was a moment when the rules, which were actually intended to provide protection and order, achieved precisely the opposite. When we spoke about it later, we jokingly called this moment a ‘universe fart’ — a situation where the rigid boundaries of a system not only appear senseless but actively contribute to exacerbating the problems of our world. And imagine the sum of all these ‘universe fart’ situations happening worldwide every day — the cumulative impact on our society and our planet is terrifying.
When the Rigid System Becomes Irrational
After experiencing this absurd situation, we began to think about the term ‘universe fart’ to describe such moments. A ‘universe fart’ is a moment when a system, in its rigid structure, becomes so irrational that it appears almost ridiculous. It is a moment when the system loses sight of its actual functionality and underlying purpose because it clings to artificial rules and boundaries that simply no longer make sense in the broader context.
When Good Intentions Achieve the Opposite
This realisation led us to reflect on other situations in our daily lives. How often do we encounter ‘universe farts’ without consciously noticing them? Situations where systems, originally well-conceived, suddenly fail due to their own rigidity and thereby sabotage themselves.
I am firmly convinced that the foundations of our system are often excellent, but they are not perfect. And this is precisely the point: we must regularly review and question the rules and structures that govern our systems. Only in this way can we ensure that these systems continue to fulfil their purpose and do not become inefficient or even harmful due to rigid, unreflected rules.
War Criminals with Veto Power in the Security Council
Another, perhaps even more serious, example of a ‘universe fart’ can be found in international politics. The United Nations Security Council, which was actually created to secure world peace and uphold international law, grinds to a halt when a country that itself sits on the Council breaks the international order.
When Russia invaded Ukraine, clearly violating international law, it simultaneously blocked all necessary steps for peacebuilding through its veto power in the Security Council. This demonstrates the absurd side of a system that clings to rigid rules created in the past, which were appropriate for the situation then but are no longer sensible in the current circumstances. It is a moment when the rigid structures of the system become not only useless but actually counterproductive — a problem that can have devastating global consequences.
A ‘universe fart’ is not just a phenomenon we can observe in politics or large societal systems — there are numerous cases in our daily lives. During the establishment of my company, I made a mistake in my own registration as an employee. In the hectic initial phase of the company, I failed to first apply for a work permit from the AMS. This error was neither intentional nor due to negligence, but a result of the complexity and pressure that come with founding a new company.
When I realised the error, I acted immediately to correct the situation. Yet, despite my efforts and my sincere statement explaining the situation and asking for understanding, I encountered a system that strictly hid behind the law. It seemed no one cared how long I had lived in Austria, what I do for society, or how this error came about. ‘Law is law’ was the unwavering answer, and so I was confronted with a threatening penalty of at least 2,500 euros — an enormous burden for a new company. What is even more serious is the fact that this ‘offence’ will now be entered into my partner’s private file, which could have long-term negative consequences.
Harassment During Company Formation
This experience shows how a system, originally created to ensure order and justice, can achieve the opposite through its rigidity and inflexibility. Here, I was not seen as a person who made a mistake and wanted to correct it, but merely as an entry in a system that tolerates no deviation from its established rules. This too is a ‘universe fart’ — a moment when the system loses its actual functionality and purpose because it is unable to consider individual circumstances or the reality outside its rigid boundaries. The system failed to provide me with all the necessary information at the beginning. At the same time, the system tolerates no errors, because otherwise the price is too high. Show me a person who has walked the path without making mistakes.
Here, I merely want to emphasise that the system still has room for improvement in its own development, and it is our responsibility to address ‘universe farts’ in order to rectify them.
The Problem of Rigid System Boundaries
A central problem of many social and economic systems is their tendency to maintain rigid rules and boundaries that may once have been sensible in a specific context but cannot adapt to changed conditions. This inflexibility can lead to systems, originally created to ensure order, justice, or efficiency, achieving precisely the opposite: they become ineffective, unjust, and sometimes even destructive. If systems remain rigid, without the possibility of adapting to new conditions, there is room for authoritarian states to exploit these systems by leveraging their inflexibility, as is happening in the case of the UN.
In many cases, these rules are based on assumptions and conditions that are long outdated. Yet, instead of evolving and flexibly responding to new challenges, these systems often remain rigid and unyielding. This leads them to misprioritise in a rapidly changing world and lose sight of their original goals. Such ‘universe farts’ are the result of systems that no longer question their own boundaries and fail to adapt to real-world circumstances.
In a world that is constantly changing and where we are confronted with complex, global challenges, systems must be flexible and dynamic. They must be able to regularly review and adapt their own rules and structures to ensure that they continue to serve their purpose and do not themselves become a problem.
Feedback Loops and System Failure
A central concept in systems theory is that of feedback loops. These describe situations where the results of a process are used to control the process itself. Feedback loops can be either positive or negative. Positive feedback loops reinforce a particular development or dynamic, while negative feedback loops often lead to a system becoming trapped within itself and increasingly ineffective or dysfunctional.
When systems cling to their own rigid and artificially created boundaries, without regularly questioning and adapting them, this can lead to negative feedback loops. In such cases, the system itself ensures that it can no longer fulfil its original function — it becomes inefficient, inflexible, and ultimately dysfunctional.
The veto power in the United Nations Security Council leads the system, which was actually created to ensure peace and security, into a negative feedback loop where it is blocked by its own rules and loses its function.
Such feedback loops are not only inefficient but can also be dangerous. They cause systems to sabotage themselves and undermine their own goals. In a dynamic and complex world, systems must therefore be able to continuously question and adapt their own processes and rules. Only in this way can they prevent negative feedback loops from arising that lead the system into a downward spiral.
When the System Sets Itself Up for Failure
At its core, it’s about systems that fail to regularly review their own boundaries and adapt flexibly to new realities, running the risk of self-destruction. Feedback loops can either amplify a system’s effectiveness or, if negative, amplify its weaknesses and ultimately lead to its failure.
Our world faces challenges that demand rapid rethinking. Climate change, resource scarcity, and social inequality show that many of the rigid systems we rely on are no longer sustainable. These systems were often designed for a world that no longer exists. Today, we need structures that are adaptable and can respond to change.
In this reality, we must question the artificial boundaries we have imposed on ourselves. The ‘universe fart’ is a sign of how rigid systems can lead to absurdities — and how important it is not to blindly follow them, but to critically re-evaluate and improve them.
Perhaps we should all begin to consciously look for ‘universe farts’ in our daily lives — those moments when systems fail due to their own absurdity. By recognising such situations, we can not only think beyond existing boundaries but also actively contribute to making our systems more flexible, sustainable, and future-proof. Every ‘universe fart’ we question and change is a step towards a world better prepared for today’s and tomorrow’s challenges.
