SYSTEMS!!!!

In which John discusses the interwoven systems that shape our destiny even though we rarely pause to think about them.
SOURCES:
Partners in Health: www.pih.org/
Most of the information in this video came from the amazing Our World in Data. For instance, you can learn here that Thailand's child mortality fell by 55% between 1994 and 2014: ourworldindata.org/child-mort...
And you can learn here about the growing agricultural yields in Thailand (and elsewhere): ourworldindata.org/yields-and...
And here about Thailand's improving clean water system (as well as the improvements many other nations have made): ourworldindata.org/water-acce...
The information about Sierra Leone's per capita spending on health and healthcare comes from the World Health Organization: www.aho.afro.who.int/profiles_...
And the information on the total size of Sierra Leone's economy comes from Trading Economics: tradingeconomics.com/sierra-l...
Any other questions, please ask in comments and I'll try to update here!
----
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And join the community at nerdfighteria.com effyeahnerdfighters.com
Help transcribe videos - nerdfighteria.info
John's twitter - / johngreen
John's tumblr - / fishingboatproceeds
Hank's twitter - / hankgreen
Hank's tumblr - / edwardspoonhands

[@vlogbrothers]

A few general responses to comments: 1. No, Partners in Health did not sponsor this video. (If they had, I would've disclosed it! But no. We give them money, not the other way around!) 2. Hank and I have been focusing for the last several months on long-term funding to address long-term problems in communities with extremely fragile systems; so this video is intended to be a window into our current thinking. 3. I've said this before, but if you're interested in this stuff, I really recommend the book An Introduction to Global Health Delivery by Dr. Joia Mukerhjee.

[@gnova7]

[@tonifischbacher4021]

Btw. Did you know there's a german Band named "looking for Alaska"?

[@samhuckstep2148]

Hi John! You’re right, Mukherjee’s book is great, and so’s the work done by Partners in Health. I’d also recommend (if you want books which still more explicitly take a systems-conscious look at aid and development) ‘How Change Happens’, by Duncan Green, Oxfam’s strategy director; and Paul Collier’s The Bottom Billion, for a more economics-focused look at the interwoven nature of systems in developing countries. Both are excellent and highly thought-provoking. Thanks for the video! It’s a great topic.

[@JasonKurtz1992]

I'd love to be able to keep an eye on the long-term focuses that the two of you are doing, because just like this video, I'm sure it's going to abundantly fascinating. Are there other things you're focusing on that you can share? Can "long term thoughts/plans/etc" be included in regular updates somewhere? Maybe a section in the newsletter?

[@wobblysauce]

I would agree with you being that the US system is extortion.

[@geographconcept7523]

and ACCIDENTALLY HARVESTED PART OF MY ABDOMEN??? gardening is more metal than i thought

[@adambiewer505]

Hehe. Metal

[@vlogbrothers]

Super metal. -John

[@gnarthdarkanen7464]

I might be tempted to ask, "Like... How?" ... BUT then I'm reminded of a few years ago, when I was "only weeding" through my own garden and nearly "weeded off" a fair chunk of my own foot... No tetanus shot required, as I'm regularly "clutzy" with sharp instruments (a term used almost jokingly here) SO with butterfly stitches concocted from Duct Tape, I spent a few weeks "taking it easy" and regularly changing gauze padding under the sock... (It would seem even the U.S. is subject to occasional pockets of remoteness) In essence, John, you certainly have my sympathies, rather than a lot of inane questions... (and hopefully, the visual is worth a giggle or two at my dispense... go ahead!) Remember, Laughter really is the best medicine... AND I am (after all) regularly a clutz... so I'm used to it. ;o)

[@SylviusTheMad]

A friend of mine, years ago, accidentally stabbed himself in the abdomen trying to open the packaging on a water pistol. It happens. edit: he was fine, by the way

[@julianiespookiemccray2628]

The garden was taking back it's peas!

[@max10dler]

The fun thing about Vlogbrothers videos is that they’re basically always relevant.

[@onerandomnerdygirl2306]

This calls to mind that quote that goes “to make an apple pie from scratch you must first create the universe.” You can’t just cherry pick things to think about and assume you’re helping, everting is connected. Listening is such a vital tool that goes unused far too often.

[@JasonKurtz1992]

Was... was 'cherry pick' a pun?

[@onerandomnerdygirl2306]

Jason Kurtz actually no, I realized how it sounded after I posted it. Lol

[@Anniepropraline]

I love this quote. I will go google it to find where it comes from. Thanks for sharing.

[@Anniepropraline]

Ooohhh Carl Sagan!

[@ggenc]

"Listening is such a vital tool that goes unused far too often" dayum very well said.

[@Soysauceb4ketchup]

I feel like you just put my entire masters of public health education into a 3:58 minute video

[@vlogbrothers]

That is kind of you to say, but I've got a LOT of learning still to do! -John

[@Soysauceb4ketchup]

There's always so much more to learn about global health, but you done the 10,000 ft view concepts justice 👏👏👏

[@Grizabeebles]

Its also not just about health. After all, the Bronze Age Collapse has increasingly been defined as a "systems collapse". In fact, I believe a large part of what drove Brexit (and a lot of other political movements) was failure to understand and appreciate how many different systems are interwoven into every aspect of our lives. For example, I live in Alberta, Canada and even in the 1990s fresh fruit used to be relatively rare and expensive in winter. Now, when I go into the grocery store I frequently see bags of fruit _grown in Mexico_ in the local COSCO come October. When you think about how many different systems are connected to that one orange, the mind boggles. For example, within the store itself you have employment law, property and business taxes, local water and power generation, production of construction materials, office supplies, replacement light bulbs, contract law, customs law, manufacturing and maintenance of the forklifts and the odd health and safety inspection. I haven't even made it into the parking lot and already the office pens will have me tracking another set of systems going all the way to Bic Headquarters in France. Frankly, if you stare at it long enough, the whole thing starts to bring on a sense of cosmic horror.

[@OrigamiMarie]

@@Grizabeebles I'm thinking about that one orange, or even the crate of oranges that it came from, and realizing another important thing. Once you have systems that make one set of goods easy to transport, you can add on others pretty cheaply. It's hard to justify making a system that transports one type of fruit that is only ripe during one season of the year from point A to point B. But if you expand all of the parameters, things start to make sense when you're transporting more types of fruits and even more types of goods, all year, from one bigger region to several other regions along the way. Nobody would pay the price for an orange to be transported alone, slowly, and without systems designed for it. Many people buy oranges given the convenience, speed, and price.

[@Grizabeebles]

+OrigamiMarie -- I believe that's called "economy of scale"? While important, that's not where I was originally going. That crate of oranges arrived on a particular refrigerated truck. However, the pen that made the checkmark on the inventory clipboard when it arrived was also mass-produced and transported to the store by an entirely different set of interconnected systems. Which, technically, become _sub-systems_ of the "orange transportation system." Heck, even the systems that made the ingredients that became the burger the driver of the truck ate on his way to make his delivery is potentially a subsystem of the "orange transportation system". Especially if the driver gets food poisoning. What I'm saying is, trying to map out all of these interconnected systems is like the Coastline Paradox -- The smaller the unit of measurement you use, the longer your answer becomes. kzbin.info/www/bejne/oXfNomuGjZt5bas&t= And like what John was saying, that leads to all sorts of wild and unpredictable interactions. For example, the price of ballpoint pens and the efficiency of the local electric plant in another country *absolutely* has an effect on oranges at *your* grocery store because paperwork.

[@Mu3azOsman]

This made me cry about my country Sudan. We don't have a good health system, or a good road system, or even petrol in our gas stations to fuel our cars to get to them hospitals that are understaffed with fresh college graduates who get paid (I kid you not) less than 100 dollars a month to treat us with medications that are either expired or don't exist. I am considered middle class and I get paid less than ,200 dollars a month. Nothing important about this comment, just wanted to let out some of the frustration 😭

[@alexs.3383]

Muaz Osman holy smokes, can you revolt for higher pay?

[@silverandexact]

It will take time and stability for good systems to develop there. Until they do, stay safe, be well, and DFTBA. 💝

[@milicakrunic4898]

Well, more people like you in Sudan, people who understand the importance of systems, can hopefully elect a government that addresses these issues. Of course, that would demand a better education, and that means better traffic and electricity and water and all else, which in turn requires skilled workers. If only everything wasn't so intertwined....

[@mohamedawad4174]

Muaz Osman I feel you bro but we have to take it anyway stay save Much love from Egypt ❤

[@lukpisimoh]

Love from Argentina! The third world can be daunting sometimes, we gotta stay strong.

[@hogpsking33]

A big part of my prayers used to be to recognize all these systems in my life, especially in the prayers before meals. To thank the farmers that grew the food and the makers of the irrigation systems, and the truck drivers that delivered it and the grocery clerks that stocked the shelves, etc. I've stopped doing that lately. This video was a good reminder to start back up again.

[@matsnyder4501]

I have been doing pretty precisely this for the last 2 years or so, and I find it helps me to be excessively specific about what I am grateful for. It certainly does turn a few heads when I thank God for the food delivery infrastructure that allows me to eat salmon and squash at the same meal, as well as electricity that allows us to enjoy each other's company late into the night. It also feels a lot more genuine than my old prayers.

[@KaberEsplin1]

Thank you

[@pennywayne1531]

This truck driver thanks you :)

[@UncannyDoge]

Steven Hopkins Wow I needed this reminder too. ❤️

[@RosesAndIvy]

I’m not religious but I really like that.

[@YAOES]

There’s also a system that allows you to Pre Order “An Absolutely Remarkable Thing” by Hank Green, coming out September 25th.

[@yuuri9064]

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[@mariamjf7677]

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[@almsthvn]

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[@luanacastro8391]

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[@shy_Mittens]

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[@louloureads3953]

I'm just finishing a PhD looking at barriers and facilitators for a specific health issue in a specific care environment (in an economically developed country) and one of the things that struck me over and over again was JUST HOW MUCH the systems interacted with each other - the knock-on effects of one thing improving or worsening were way beyond what I would have imagined. I don't know how to make systems glamorous (or how to attract postdoctoral research funding on this subject), but I really enjoyed this video!

[@vlogbrothers]

I also don't know how to make systems glamorous. Your work sounds fascinating and important, though! -John

[@louloureads3953]

Thank you! It is really interesting and I enjoy it a lot :-)

[@jamesbrixey8102]

I really hope you get funding: as a starting out PhD student myself, I can see the headache of funding straight away.

[@melissinha73]

Hannah I am encouraged that there are people like you dedicating their lives to systems that many of us take for granted. Thank you for your dedication! Like John expressed in this video, these systems are what make other systems work and ultimately benefit our lives (if the systems are efficient and administrated well).

[@verity3616]

@louloureads - Are you working in the HEOR discipline? The video and your comment both made me think of markov models from the world of pharmacy. With that said, I hope you've now graduated and found postdoctoral work!

[@yamyam7918]

I don’t know about you but I get freaking pumped about systems, and that is one of the reasons I’m a nerd... fighter

[@melonlord1414]

Yeah, I studyed electrical energy engineering and talkt with the other students about electrical power grids for hours

[@NarfiRef]

Yeah, I mentioned systems as something I was passionate about during an ice-breaker activity on the first day of a class once. My partner failed to mention it when it came time to introduce me to the class. I guess she didn’t get it for some odd reason.

[@peters3730]

+

[@skylerwitherspoon]

Thanks for citing your sources! (something that is obviously required for all KZbin videos as enforced by everyone)

[@benjaminazmon]

Autumn Berthold I just finished listening to that part of the pod ;-)

[@vlogbrothers]

hahaha someone's been listening to the pod! -John

[@skylerwitherspoon]

@@vlogbrothers yup! You made my drive back down to school better yesterday, so thanks :) DFTBA

[@eveclayton1195]

Okay, but this is something I think about so much like systems are so present in every single tiny and huge aspect of our lives yet we never notice them. Like, literally EVERYTHING. It blows my mind a little how even our body and everything in nature is built up of systems and that that is reflected in the way we create our society and that systems themselves can be a part of bigger systems within even bigger systems etc.

[@Life_42]

Systems gallore!

[@corac1940]

Turtles all the way down.

[@viktorayy]

I often think about systems like how many steps did it take to get to the idea of toilets? We use that everyday, so useful.

[@HollywoodUndead1509]

What about the system of the internet, KZbin, and cameras distribution that allowed your to make this video?

[@vlogbrothers]

Here in Indianapolis, we still regularly dump waste directly from sewers into the White River, so we haven't QUITE perfected it yet, but the progress in sanitation around the world is a HUGE part of why life expectancy is improving. -John

[@rparl]

For an amusing note on toilets, see "Flushed With Pride," which may be an (accurate) account of the origin of the flush toilet.

[@meaigs]

What we really need is composting toilets. A flush toilet takes a resource, adds drinking water to it, and makes them both into a huge problem that needs to be dealt with.

[@kingBRANDONcastle]

Woo go Indy! I live in Franklin, where a lovely three decade long ground pollution investigation is underway.

[@sarahperni]

The thumbnail/title combination has such a pure manic energy

[@seashelleyd]

LOVE THIS VIDEO! As a former epi analyst, current PhD student, and future epidemiologist with a particular interest in systems theory/syndemic theory, I am SUPER excited for the work that you, Nerdfighteria, and Partners in Health are doing to contribute to long-term solutions to long-term problems in public health.

[@vlogbrothers]

Thanks! And thanks for your great work as well. -John

[@miacoss9809]

THIS! I always can't believe how organised the human race is. Especially as I am young enough that all of the systems were pretty much there from when I was born. I am so grateful to live in a developed country where I don't need to think about systems.

[@aleell6466]

As an epidemiologist currently working in Kenya on community based water and sanitation systems and community empowerment, thank you thank you thank you for this. One of the hardest things to explain to people who think this all has a quick fix is the systems and their fragility or non-existence. Love PIH. Thanks for supporting such important work.

[@almsthvn]

I like your brain. :) My Dad and I used to ponder things complexly. He passed away in January and one “side effect” is that I keep discovering unexpected holes in my life that his absence created. Conversations such as this are a big part of what has been missing. Thank you and Hank for both helping mend a bit of that wound. (Btw, plate tectonics was another fave discussion).

[@trueblue2774]

I help maintain a fleet of railcars for a company that buys and resells hydrochloric acid. That stuff gets used in... like... everything: food, steel, fracking, pharmaceuticals, all kinds of systems. Thanks for thinking of the not-so-obvious systems that keep things going, John. This reminds me of all the P4A charity videos. It's like "Hey here's some stuff that some people find absolutely essential, and it's not a fault of yours that you don't think about it, but hey, now you can think about it." World Builders is a favorite of mine for that exact reason.

[@lostbutfreesoul]

Good man, Few people think on interlaced systems even as they debate wide changes to individual systems.

[@taliafore1578]

I was rewatching The Fault In Our Starts for the 1000th time when I got this notification. Now I'm watching both at the same time. My Nerdfighter levels are off the chart right now.

[@Marychelle]

My one of my grandparents had a little brother who died from lockjaw. I’m so grateful we have what we have.

[@Diosjenin]

There was once a tenet of chivalry which said that, when walking on sidewalks, the man should be on the side nearer to the buildings, and the woman nearer to the street. Why? In the days before sewage systems, city-dwellers would dispose of their own waste by collecting it in buckets, opening their windows, and dumping it onto the sidewalks below. Chivalrous men took the side of the sidewalk closer to the buildings so they, and not their female companions, would be the ones more likely to occasionally get pigeon'ed by other people. Systems really do make life better.

[@TheRavenfish9]

This video came back even more intensely relevant in 2020.

[@milicakrunic4898]

Oh, I haven't heard about Partners in Health for a while. Glad to know they're still hanging about and making the world a better place. DFTBA

[@williampass4762]

Hey John thanks for continuing to make vlogbrothers, many successful people have this notion that they built everything they have on their own and your information here isn’t a direct response to that type of reasoning but understanding how we all rely on these systems is important so thank you for sharing that message, I don’t hear that message many other places

[@culwin]

Educational and under 4 minutes. This deserves a reward!

[@xtiholly]

Sometimes we look too close and we forget that there is a huge system of systems that never ends. And once we zoom out it feels incredible to see how everything works to produce something. It’s really great. Thank you for this video!

[@Aabil11]

After a natural disaster strikes your area you come to realize and appreciate those systems much more

[@BThings]

Systems of all kinds fascinate me. The seemingly mundane processes by which things happen and come about are so intriguing and cool to learn about (for me, at least), and when you consider how these intricate webs of systems all have to work together to enable our lives, regardless of what our lives are, it is truly astonishing and often gives me hope for what humanity is capable of, and also what we need to do to make it work. This was a really cool video, and it was nice to think about systems working and not working, and the complexities involved in helping non-working systems work better. As usual, John, thank you for a pleasant ~4 minutes on my Tuesday! 🙂

[@aaamk3938]

Love you guys!!!this cheered me up after school. You guys always help me, no matter what the video is. It distracts me from terrifying and unrealistic thoughts. Thank you. I just felt i needed to say that today

[@emmacharlie192]

“Harvesting your abdomen” is the scariest,worst way to announce an injury.

[@PurrfectSimming]

In high school, my Econ teacher used a wooden pencil as a way for us to think at this level. Who go the wood, the paint, the metal for the eraser casing... and so on. This was a new level for me to think about the world! Such a wonderful and IMPORTANT video.

[@michellesolomon1690]

Yes!! I am studying Civil Systems for my Masters of Science degree, and its clear that infrastructure is essential for everything in our society, and it is all immensely interconnected.

[@AbbyLongtizer]

With every other KZbin channel that I love or have loved, I phase in and out of interest or enjoyment with them. I feel like I grow out of a channel or need more from it. And it has been over 10 years for me with vlogbrothers. And it grows with me. It interests me still. It has value and it brings me joy. All without trying too hard to win my my time. I appreciate that.

[@dancerluver195]

In college I took a couple of classes focused on sustainable development that really opened my eyes and completely changed my view of the world. John's comment about listening to the problems of a community as a whole instead of straight away giving "solutions" is SO IMPORTANT. This is where so many people/NGO's fail even though they have the best intentions. You need to invest in the infrastructure and system surrounding a problem instead of just coming in straight away with a solution and trying to make the community adapt to it. This is an example of why many clean water and accessible healthcare initiatives have failed, because they don't understand how the systems in the community work.

[@connorhalleck2895]

I spend so much time thinking about systems. I think my interest in economics has sparked this, but I really do see the world as systems more than anything, whether social, economic, political, or biological.

[@mclukehoffmann]

As an industrial and systems engineering student, this video made me so happy. I’m so excited to graduate and use my degree to improve the systems that help so many people every day

[@Razbeariez]

I love how John just glosses over the most interesting part of the story. How does one harvest part of their abdomen accidentally? #ConcernedANDCurious

[@ravenkent2607]

+++

[@AbstractScope]

I often take advantage of the systems that are all around me, especially systems of utilities, roads, and even education sometimes. Videos like these help me realize how beneficial systems really are in our lives, especially when individuals in some countries have ineffective and inefficient ones. Thank you for helping me realize this today, John.

[@sarahp6512]

John, this is why I love this channel. You can take something as seemingly mundane as a tetnis shot and extract so many deep and meaningful ideas that can be applied to many people's lives. Also, you continue to remind me to check my privilege. Thanks.

[@johnjosmith42]

Loved loved loved this - so thought provoking. This channel keeps getting better. Extremely grateful for what you guys (all you guys) do x

[@stenarospcc]

As someone who loves to develop systems to make my personal and work life better, I heartily salute this video!

[@nickobrien8043]

I had never thought about our world in this way before. I love watching videos such as these to help widen my understanding. Thank you for amazing content!

[@jaredgandelot7128]

This past spring I attended a conference on the impact that environmental issues have on public health. In environmental policy this is sometimes glossed over, though it is generally system focused. The conference really opened my eyes to the threats facings the systems that enable society to function, especially health care. So, yes John, SYSTEMS!!!!!!!

[@pandmantom]

This gives me further gratitude for the systems that let me feel secure. Really emphasizes the importance interdependence and community since no one really "makes it on their own".

[@geraldjacobs7824]

I think about these things constantly and I love it!

[@the_mad.s_hatter]

Thank you for making your videos x≤4 minutes long. I stay captivated the entire time. Every word seems golden because there's no filler fluff.

[@zyke101]

Something you, or other may find interesting in relation to systems, is the current thinking going on in Urban Planning (on the more technical side) related to Urban System Design Theory. Urban Planning as a field is still quite diverse, but one wing of it, focuses on exploring how these various parts interact and how to better make human concentric decisions that account for changes in one system affecting the others. Also the idea of Holons may be of interest (from a theoretical stand point) in examine these complex systems that are linked to one another. There are a few articles I can point to if people want, or some of my own work. Again great video as always!

[@oshin6321]

As a public health professional, this video hits so many of the right notes in looking at just how complex healthcare reform can actually be, both within the US and in the developing world. For a maddeningly large number of these components and systems, even developing metrics to visualize improvement (or lack thereof) is a huge challenge. But knowledge of the importance of these systems is definitely the first step to building an army of professionals who will literally make it their job to understanding and attenuating these issues. So THANK YOU, John, for shedding light on and taking seriously just how multi-faceted the challenges to establishing stable, high quality healthcare systems can be.

[@GatlinGang]

I continue to learn from you, even when the lessons are edged with sadness at how far we still need to evolve in ways. I still treasure these lessons because I feel that knowledge is always preferable to ignorance. Thank you. -Josh

[@arklowrockz]

As ever John excellent content. Very informative. Thank you.

[@MattPalka]

Interdependent systems really mindboggle my mind. It astounds me how much cooperates synchronously and asynchronously. I am involved in the information systems that get people hired and it never ceases to amaze me how much I both rely on others and people rely on me for things to happen.

[@JennEiland]

I love systems. Most shortfalls in various areas can be attributed to poor or neglected systems. They are so important. Thank you.

[@littlellama7753]

Hello Hank and John. If you see this I just want to say that I recently deep cleaned my closet and I've been binging Dear Hank and John. So thanks, it made it really entertaining.

[@Larixlaricina]

It's very important to value these systems. I use some of these examples to explain the idiom "take it for granted" to my ESL students

[@erinstohlmeyer1714]

Currently living in Thailand, so I'm happily supporting some of those systems! ❤

[@TheWordsmythe]

I love systems! Exploring systems is what got me into a master's program in video games (games being intertwined systems of rules, narratives, interfaces, and sometimes social systems), and a job in IT.

[@kalikevin432]

I literally think about these systems every day when i eat, poop, or charge my phone. I want to feel grateful because I've been listening to a lot of Gary Vee

[@Hamza-su5yd]

One of the best videos in a while I've missed educational inspiring john

[@maryjewell461]

John, I always appreciate your global health-centered videos. They have enormously impacted my academic and career path. I want to do the kind of work Partners in Health does. Thank you for showing me that.

[@laineylorio5986]

This seems like an appropriate time to bring back some of the points made in this video.

[@alvarodr7619]

This is, on my end, much needed encouragement to keep going with my computer engineering degree, thanks John.

[@francescakyanda9182]

I think about this video a lot in relation to how I get assignments done for college, systems are so important and need to be implemented and kept up with!

[@Paulakise]

Love you John please come to South Africa

[@francogrobbelaar2306]

Always nice to see a fellow South Africaner !

[@yaakovgoldsmith7099]

PLEASE take over for JOHN OLIVER on HBO! I learn so much watching you and I’m sure I’m not the only one! He’s hilarious and amazing but this is way more educational which is what ultimately makes the world a better place.

[@Studentoboe]

Public health for the win!!! I am just starting medical school (dual degree with a master's in public health) and Dr Paul Farmer and the other founders and workers of Partners in Health are my heroes! Systems-based health care and a systems-based approach to health problems really excites me. Actually, if was John that introduced them to PIH with his video a while back that talked about Ophelia Dahl. So thank you so much for introducing me! they are a great inspiration to me.

[@srinithi_s]

This was so important, thank you!

[@danielstergios1984]

How the heck do you make these systems sound so poetic, without sounding pretentious?? It’s astounding.

[@zaynabkhatoun7530]

My professor talked to us about the same topics! I just watched this video today during my lunch period, and later in the day my professor in my Medication Use and the U.S. Health Care SYSTEM class said almost the same things as John! Especially about vicious cycles at 2:28. My brain felt like it was expanding!

[@dodis92]

I'm showing this to my med students at my next public health class. Very well explained. Thank you 🙂

[@thesunshinechiling]

Hi John, listening to this video has reminded me of this field of study that I have been studying in university: Systems Dynamics. I highly encourage you to go learn about it, because it is all about thinking in systems, and how to improve big issues just by looking at how things work in systems. It is exactly how you talk about in the video!

[@paolamontalvo9063]

Next week I'll be starting a Master's in Social Work where I'll be specializing in system dynamics, an approach which uses systems thinking just like John describes here! Knowing about Partners in Health led me to this particular program in the first place, so I'm so glad John chose to highlight their efforts. I am very excited and very nervous to do this kind of work. Nerdfighters, please wish me luck in graduate school!!

[@alicezero146]

Definitely felt this way when travelling. Just the fact that so many systems go into place in order to make sure the planes and trains don't get us killed makes me realize how beautiful the reliability of our infrastructure is.

[@helenashideaway8754]

I improve supply chains for a living (although not specifically ones related to refrigerated medical breakthroughs) and find it incredibly fascinating! Totally agree that they are absolutely key to better living for all; remove all of that inefficiency (easier said than done I know) and we could all achieve so much more with so much less. Promise it's not as boring as it sounds!

[@Caleb-zj9xi]

As I left work today, I found some business cards on my desk with my name on them with the title of Project Engineer. Being a civil roadway engineer, I did a little fist pump when you mentioned the highway system! Systems are fascinating to me!

[@Ikiratuki]

Amazing video. I can't help but think of systems.

[@ruththinkingoutside.707]

Roads and bridges are ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL for society to maintain itself, nevermind IMPROVE.. always always support infrastructure!!!! 😊

[@justinmiller7398]

I wish more people would talk about systems. Huge improvements in society come from system efficiency upgrade rather than big breakthroughs.

[@Sophie-db1ko]

One of your best videos!

[@karlijnlike4lane]

Systems are ABSOLUTELY fascinating!!! I could spend all my time making systems more efficient *for fun*. (I'm a librarian, so I got into the right field 😁) Thank you John for drawing attention to systems as a study. If I cd figure out how to focus my specialization on systems design of all kinds, I'd be sorely tempted.

[@SethMSparks]

Thanks for the citations!

[@ashleyberry143]

Partners in Health is an amazing amazing organization, I urge anyone not familiar with them to like read into them please! John touched on what they do but just reading about how they started up and how they create sustainable systems in developing countries is just fascinating. Global health and public health are very interesting subjects that are very important to many aspects of life.

[@Maddy-xq3yg]

John - “Most of us do not talk or think much about systems because, well, they’re boring” Me- *a sociology graduate student* . And this video was a great explanation as to why! Thanks for the video, I’ll keep it on hand to explain to people why I’m pursuing this degree 😇

[@alfie6098]

I've had similar thoughts to this!! I've always wondered how easy it would be to set up my own community, away from a country. And it turns out it would be ridiculously difficult! Waste collection services, Internet provider services, food distribution centres: all incredibly difficult and complex. Thanks for the video John!

[@RodrigoCastroAngelo]

Studying information systems I developed a sensibility to this sense of 'systems' and since then I've always found them very interesting -- supply chain management is like one of the coolest things

[@andrewhiebert6499]

I love this! More!

[@ontwrichtedichter1437]

I love this. I'm looking to work in this

[@julianalores4]

I think about this constantly because it actually is fascinating! I often wonder how they began, like who thought of building the first road, and how did they connect them? A video on that topic would be awesome!

[@jamesbrixey8102]

I GREW UP IN THAILAND!!! So this has personal resonances with me for whom many siblings were born in the Thailand.

[@arianaskyemcsweeney6938]

Station Eleven is one of THE BEST BOOK EVER and also discusses some of this stuff!

[@isabelsong21]

This video immediately reminded me of the paper I wrote last semester on reproductive health care in Nigeria for my Gender and International Human Rights class. It was all about administrative capacity (of which there are 4 kinds, including delivery, regulatory, coordination, and analytical capacity) and financial capacity, so it's basically all the resources and skills and SYSTEMS necessary to make things like human rights available. Like, I remember one of the things that blew my mind while writing the paper was that even when health clinics have the delivery and coordination capacity to get contraceptive supplies, a majority of health care workers in Nigeria are untrained in how to administer certain long-term contraceptives like IUDs and injectables (which is a failure in regulatory capacity to set training standards and ensure the quality and skill of health care providers). So you can have all the systems in place to get people and supplies to health facilities, but if you forget about a system to train providers how to administer those supplies for those people, the whole thing is moot. It really made me think about how intricate all these systems are and how you can't overlook a single piece of the puzzle.

[@bdmurr2]

Amazing context to frame the healthcare system into. Wish more people understood this.

[@EricMVlogs]

Happy Birthday John.

[@whereisangie]

great video john!

[@princemidus8211]

Hi John, a week of my college class of Young Adult Literature is dedicated to you, I'm glad to say I'm very prepared for that week.

[@DanAnderson_TheMaddestShredder]

Mad Respect my friend god bless you

[@NoahOfTheArc]

People often get stuck thinking that the world they know is the only way that the world has always been . . . but actually the world has changed a lot over time, and will keep changing, and that's a great thing.

[@asmrchannel9249]

Interesting thought 💭

[@DrawnByDandy]

I was just thinking about stuff in this topic, thanks