Our greatest social and ecological challenges are not a matter of bad luck, but the logical consequence of a fundamentally flawed starting point: we formulate policy based on perceived reality (how we think the world works) rather than systemic reality (how systems actually function). This is explained by three interrelated insights:
1. The Realimiteit Principle is the fundamental starting point: effective and sustainable action requires that we act in accordance with the true nature and limits of natural and social systems, not with our wishes, ideals or models of them. Reality is the only valid touchstone for policy. Realimiteit equals the boundaries of and for functionality of all lving systems, including the universe and society.
2. The Perception Paradox is the systematic error that violates this principle: humans act as if they are separate from and can dominate nature, when in fact they are a dependent part of it. This leads to policies that deplete, destabilise and damage systems for perceived short-term gain.
3. The Information Deficit Paradox is the inevitable consequence: in order to bridge or conceal the gap between our perceived and understood reality and systemic reality, information is distorted, selected or concealed. This information energy becomes polluted, causing feedback to disappear, learning ability to stagnate and all energy to be spent on crisis management and justifying failures, rather than on real solutions.
Coherence: A cycle of failure
The Realimiteit Principle is the benchmark. The Perception Paradox causes us to deviate from this constantly. The Information Deficit Paradox masks this deviation and makes correction impossible. The result is a downward spiral: through misperception, we contaminate the information, and through contaminated information, we further distort our perception away from reality. Policy thus becomes increasingly complex, expensive and less effective. Energy to do useful work has been dissipated.
What this means for policy and governance
· Effectiveness: Policy that violates the Realimiteit Principle is doomed to fail. Whether it is economic policy that ignores ecological limits or social policy that disregards human needs, systemic reality will always impose itself, often in the form of crises.
· Information as infrastructure: Honest, transparent information is not a “nice extra” but critical social infrastructure. It is the feedback loop that allows our policies to move with reality. Without this integrity, every system is blind.
· Solution direction: The way out of the cycle does not lie in even more control within the wrong perception, but in systematically calibrating our actions to reality. This requires:
· Robust feedback mechanisms that make system boundaries and responses visible (e.g. ecosystem monitoring, broad prosperity indicators).
· Institutional truth-finding that protects disinterested analysis from perception and information pollution.
· Adaptive governance that can acknowledge mistakes and correct course, because learning is seen as a form of strength, not weakness.
Conclusion
Sustainability, resilience and well-being are not the result of overcoming nature or social laws, but of learning to listen to them and working with them coherently. The Realimiteit Principle states that successful policy must land in the real world. The two paradoxes warn us about the mechanisms that constantly sabotage this: our arrogant perception and the resulting information pollution. Those who see reality as a partner gain adaptability. Those who see it as an enemy or ignore it will ultimately lose their footing.
Closing sentence
Truth is not relativistic; the system reacts as it reacts. Policy that respects the Reality Principle by breaking through the Perception Paradox and avoiding the Information Deficit Paradox is not just ethical or “green” – it is the only pragmatic route to a sustainable future.
Arend van Campen
