solutionism

English

Etymology

From solution +‎ -ism.

Noun

solutionism (uncountable)

1. The belief that all difficulties have benign solutions, often of a technocratic nature.
   • 1984, D. Philip Baker, The Library Media Program and the School, Littleton, Colo.: Libraries Unlimited, →ISBN, page 54:

     Solutionism is just a belief that for every problem there exists a solution; and successful persons are those who solve problems.

   • 2013, Evgeny Morozov, chapter 1, in To Save Everything, Click Here, →ISBN:

     So before we can embark on discussing the shortcomings of solutionism in areas like politics or crime prevention, it's worth getting a better grasp of the pernicious intellectual influence of Internet-centrism—a task we turn to in the next chapter.

   • 2014, M. Berry, M. Schleser, Mobile Media Making in an Age of Smartphones, Springer, →ISBN:

     Evgeny Morozov defines this trend as solutionism: a normal problem-solving apparatus gone into overdrive (Morozov 2013). Thanks to ICTs, Morozov claims, new types of solutions that weren't possible a few years ago are now ready at hand.

2. The providing of a solution or solutions to a customer or client (sometimes before a problem has been identified).

Related terms

• solutionist