Question

What are some mental models that you see in the movie/documentary Fire in the Blood?

Answer 1

Mental models are practical and theoretical approaches to understand and change the process of problem solving and decision making by filing away a massive, but finite amount of knowledge that can be used in assessing the infinite number of unique problems and scenarios which emerge in the real world. They provide practice guidelines on how consistently rational and effective thinking is done at Individual and community level. In this regard, it is seen that the documentary ‘Fire in the Blood’ presents a peculiar case of how certian decisions ( namely by the Pharmaceutical corporations) can have devastating consequences for the world and how certain other mental models can help the Third World societies to organise a strong resistance against discrimination in access to health care with respect to the HIV AIDS medicines.

For one, the documentary seems to depict the Farnam Stree Latticework of Mental Models wherein the actions of the Pharmaceuticla entrepreneurs exemplifies a lack of second order thinking. Second order thinking model shows that first-order thinking which involves assessing the immediate consequences of one’s action is easy and safe. However, Second-order thinking is thinking holistically and farther ahead in time and thinking . It requires a consideration of our actions on a macro level and move beyond their immediate consequences of evaluate the subsequent effects of those actions as well. The documentary shows an operation of just such a model where the decisions of the Pharmaceutical companies to call off the distribution of life saving drugs to Africa, South America and Asia was primarily guided by the profit motif, but they did not evaluate the adverse effects of their decision for the lives of thousands of patients involved. Thus, their inability to consider the second and third order effects unleashed a disaster for these nations.