Comments on: Non-Touch Faucets Carry More Bacteria https://www.isegoria.net/2011/04/non-touch-faucets-carry-more-bacteria/ From the ancient Greek for equality in freedom of speech; an eclectic mix of thoughts, large and small Fri, 24 Apr 2026 06:10:12 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.6.1 By: Isegoria https://www.isegoria.net/2011/04/non-touch-faucets-carry-more-bacteria/comment-page-1/#comment-159290 Isegoria Sun, 10 Apr 2011 23:37:29 +0000 http://www.isegoria.net/?p=24250#comment-159290 There are a number of tongue-in-cheek Laws of Systemantics:

Le Chatelier’s Principle: Complex systems tend to oppose their own proper function. As systems grow in complexity, they tend to oppose their stated function.
Functionary’s Falsity: People in systems do not actually do what the system says they are doing.
The Operational Fallacy: The system itself does not actually do what it says it is doing.
The Fundamental Law of Administrative Workings (F.L.A.W.): Things are what they are reported to be. The real world is what it is reported to be. (That is, the system takes as given that things are as reported, regardless of the true state of affairs.)

]]> By: Bill https://www.isegoria.net/2011/04/non-touch-faucets-carry-more-bacteria/comment-page-1/#comment-158754 Bill Sun, 10 Apr 2011 17:08:51 +0000 http://www.isegoria.net/?p=24250#comment-158754 This cracks me up. One of my favorite books while working as a non-clinical manager at a big hospital was the book Systemantics: How systems work and especially how they fail by John Gall. Now out of print, this slim volume predicts this outcome. (I just found out that you can get a newer edition, retitled The Systems Bible.) I think the relevant Law was Le Chatelier’s Principle: Complex systems tend to oppose their own proper function.

This finding would deserve a place of honor in his book, and is particularly relevant since Gall was a pediatrician.

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