This comes up a lot with efficiency analysis of existing enterprises.

There are processes that are in place simply because “that’s how we’ve always done it” that make no sense. The resistance to fixing these kinds of issues is massive, as you point out.

A classic example is family tradition, like cutting off of a portion of a roast in preparation for roasting, that was originally caused by the size of the roasting pan being too small for the average roast. Then its carried out for generations for no reason, with no question.

We are definitely “rut based” (pun intended) creatures, creatures of habit, and this relates to the average comfort zone being extremely limited.

The ultimate comfort zone is to have no comfort zone in that one is completely comfortable always, a la various sundry idols throughout history.

I think of one definition of insanity in the context of this Iraq debacle.

Doing the same thing again and expecting a different result is insanity.

We need leaders with brass.