Shifting the Burden
Updated 2026-08-08
INTRODUCTION
English translation pending.
CORE DEFINITION
Shifting the burden is a system dynamics archetype built on two balancing loops: a symptomatic solution that produces fast, visible relief, and a fundamental solution that is slower but addresses the underlying cause. Because the quick fix delivers immediate feedback, it is preferred, yet it weakens the system's ability to apply the fundamental solution and often creates side effects. Over time the system becomes addicted to the symptomatic fix, and the fundamental solution may become impossible to implement.
SCAFFOLDING EFFECT
Reduce cognitive load
- Addiction lens: map the two loops to see whether your current fix builds or erodes capability. - Withdrawal planning: set explicit expectations for the short-term pain of switching back. - Dependency metric: track reliance on the crutch, not just the disappearance of the symptom.
Anchor fast decisions
The archetype contains two balancing loops with different delays. The symptomatic loop has a short delay, so its feedback arrives quickly and reinforces its own use. The fundamental loop has a long delay, so its benefit is invisible during the period when the pain is worst. Each application of the quick fix also degrades the system's capacity for the fundamental solution, converting a balancing structure into a reinforcing spiral of dependence.
MINIMUM ACTION
In progress 0/1Practice this model in one real situation:
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Source support: Explicit
- en.wikipedia.orghttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/System_archetypeverified
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