The Streetlight Effect: Finding Answers in All the Wrong Places

Mulla Nasruddin was sitting on the ground on the road to his village, searching for something. It was dusk, and the single oil lamp on the way was the only light. A passerby asked Mulla,” Bhai, what are you searching for?”. Mulla replied,” I lost my key”. A second question came from the passer,” Where did you lose the key?”. Mullah pointed his finger into the distance horizon and said,” There”. The third question from the passer was,” Why are you searching here?” Mullah replied,” Because there is light here.”
I have several examples in my life to illustrate the parable. Although I was not good at writing English, I participated in an essay writing competition. The topic was: Science serves to build peace in the world. I did not get any prize as I did not write well. My friend Bheemanna got a prize, and I was distraught. His brother was the Science teacher and had selected the topic. For days, I sulked. I avoided Bheemanna. I nursed my wounded pride. Since I believed his brother had already informed him about the subject, I didn’t speak to my friend, which resulted in Bheemanna winning the prize. Looking back, I realize that my behaviour was an easy escape from my incompetence and a valuable lesson in learning from my mistakes.
Our organization encountered a significant customer issue. The units were failing in the field, and in a rush to find a culprit, my management hastily blamed two of my colleagues from the testing area. However, two experts intervened when the principal was informed of the failures. They dedicated a week to thoroughly analyzing the issue, even visiting the customers to identify the cause. Their meticulous investigation revealed a sourcing issue — a chip from an unverified supplier. This experience underscored the importance of understanding the root cause of a problem. It reassured us that by doing so, we can solve the issue at hand and prevent its recurrence by addressing the source.
We often seek answers in places that are easy to access, where the light shines brightly, even if the real problem lurks in the shadows. It’s akin to using your phone’s flashlight to search for your phone! However, the proper solutions that unravel the mystery often lie in the darkness, in places we are hesitant to explore. It takes courage to confront these situations, but the rewards are usually worth the bravery and the effort.