Feedback Loops and the Toilet Paper Shortage

00:10:46 — Positive and Negative Feedback Loops

Thinking in terms of feedback loops rather than linear processes is essential for systems work. A negative feedback loop dampens output as input increases, while a positive one amplifies it. In social contexts, positive feedback loops drive virality; in engineering, they are generally a bad thing. The hosts note that every feedback loop typically lives inside another one, and at some point you reach things you cannot control at all.

00:12:29 — Toilet Paper Shortage as a Feedback Loop

The toilet paper shortage at the beginning of COVID illustrates a positive feedback loop in action. One person panic-buys, which depletes supply, which triggers the next person to buy even more. The loop amplifies itself, creating a real shortage from a perceived one. The example grounds an abstract concept in a shared experience everyone can relate to.