Apple2012's Fine Blog

I know it's not the appropriate time to talk about it because we just had an update, but I created this blog entry because it's interesting to talk about. Unintended consequences are events or things that happen after a solution or change when you don't expect them to happen. Remember, not all unintended consequences are bad. In fact, there are three types of unintended consequences: Positive unintended consequences (unexpected benefits), negative unintended conesquences (unexpected drawbacks), and the perverse effect.

POSITIVE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES

These are bonuses after a solution or change is made, even when you don't expect them. Let's say you have a major problem you are dying for to fix. You finally came up with the solution, so the problem is solved. At the same time, other good things or solutions to minor problems happen too. Likewise, an extremely negative event occurs, and after ten years or longer, something unexpected or positive happens, which would balance out the negativity and positivity.

Here's an example of a positive unintended consequence: Let's say that you are the manager of a restaurant, and there's a waitress who is very mean to the customers. People refuse to go to the restaurant because of this waitress. You eventually fire her for all the trouble she caused. This will make people return to the restaurant since she's gone. An unexpected benefit for firing a mean person would be a cut in expenses. With one fewer worker, you don't have to pay a much on salaries.

NEGATIVE UNINTENDED CONSEQUENCES

Updates 1.10 and 1.12 (as well as the child labor laws) are good examples of this. When you make a solution (or if a change occurs), something negative happens (even when you don't expect it). You solve a major problem, but other problems are created.

Here's an example of a negative unintended consequence: Let's say that a bully is being mean to many kids in a school, and you are the principal. Kids are beaten up, intervention doesn't work, and no matter how hard the victims go on the bully, he keeps bullying them. You eventually expel him for bullying. It made the school much better, however, the unexpected drawback of this is worse than the bully. When the bully is gone, you become liable, as the bully's parents file a lawsuit against you for expelling him.

PERVERSE EFFECT

This is the opposite of the solution. You make a solution to a problem that needs to be dealt with. The solution made something worse. Update 1.12 was a good example because they thought removing the boo option would make feedback better, but it made feedback worse. Another word for this is situational irony.

Here's an example of the perverse effect: Let's say you are a creator of a TV show. The show was good quality and sounds like something kids would really like. It even worked on one channel. You plan to air this on another channel (which was already losing viewers because they only air the shows the viewers hate). You expect to attract more viewers to the channel because of your show, but when it premiered, it repelled even more viewers from the channel.

Next entry will be a little more about consequences.