If you are not part of the solution you are part of the problem?

Question

What does this mean in your life? does it mean you dont complain about situation? Do you try and solve them? or is some of your situation unsolvable, then faith comes into practice.

Answer 1

Who said this? To me, at least, it makes no sense. If you are not the part of the problem only then you will see the problem more objectively and come up with some kind of solution. This is how I would like to think. If you don't complain about the problem then how come you will find a solution. You presume that the problem will be resoled by itself? Faith is something that tells you that no matter how unsolvable the problem might be, there will always be a solution. All we need to do is to recognize the problem and wait patiently for the answer.

Answer 2

If you are not part of the cliche, are you a reasonable facsimile thereof?

Answer 3

That was the Army way. I try to solve things.

Answer 4

of course.

Answer 5

To me it seems that the meaning is that all should try to lend a hand in solving the problems that be.

Now if I am only a part of the solution, the problem is getting the others to be the rest of the solution, so that we have a solution, for no problem was ever solved by a part of a solution. If I am part of the problem, however, finding the part of the solution that corresponds to the part of the problem constituting me will do. That will be the problem.

Answer 6

IBM definition of a problem： pre solution activity.

Answer 7

IF you are part of the organization which has the problem, then yes.

IF you are not part of it then no.

This saying is sometimes used to sucker people into other peoples problems.

Answer 8

This was a popular saying back in the 1960s, originally an antiwar stand, but later used on environmental issues in the 1970s.  There was a genuine generation gap, the older generation remembering the WW2 years and calls for duty, and the younger generation rebelling against what they saw was a war of folly--the Vietnam War.  Taking Ghandi's cue, the antiwar activists felt that everybody needed to take a nonviollent stand, either you are against the war, or you are helping it by doing nothing.  Hence, "If you are not part of the solution, you are part of the problem".  

Of course, the historical irony of this is that George Bush, Jr., has made this mindset a centerpiece of his foreign policy---"If you aren't with us, then you are against us".