Jerry’s Marginalia — "In What World Does...
...Bureaucratic Nonsense Make a Person Safer?"
There’s a particular kind of question bureaucracy loves to ask.
- Not “Is this safe?”
- Not “Does this help?”
- Not even “Would a human being do this?”
But:
“Does this align with the document that protects us if something goes wrong?”
That’s the world these questions live in.
In that world, unsafe medication isn’t dangerous because it exists — it’s dangerous because it’s existed for 31 days instead of 30. In that world, medication isn’t safe because it’s supervised — it’s safe because it’s locked, even when the person meant to take it is standing right there, capable, alert, and trained.
And the funniest part?
Everyone involved knows this.
The instructors know it. The workers know it. The system knows it.
But the system isn’t built to reward understanding. It rewards recitation.
Say the number. Say the word. Check the box. Move along.
What gets labeled “best practice” is often just best for audits. What gets labeled “safety” is often just liability management with a halo.
And the moment you answer like a human — weighing context, intent, and reality — you’re wrong. Not because you’re reckless. But because you stepped outside the script.
That’s the quiet trick of bureaucratic nonsense: It teaches you that thinking is optional, but compliance is mandatory.
So when the right answer feels wrong, and the wrong answer feels right — congratulations. You’re still awake.
— Jerry