What Could Possibly Go Wrong?

We make decisions with the best of intentions—yet time and again, those decisions lead to disaster.

From government policies that spark unintended crises to innovations that unleash environmental ruin, What Could Possibly Go Wrongexplores the surprising and often devastating ripple effects of well-meaning choices. With gripping case studies spanning politics, business, medicine, military strategy, ecology, and more, this book reveals how history has been shaped not just by what we aimed to do, but by what we failed to foresee.

What drives these failures? Drawing on psychology, complexity theory, and systems thinking, this compelling and accessible book uncovers the cognitive biases, emotional drivers, and systemic blind spots that consistently derail even the most thoughtful plans.

You’ll discover:

How short-term thinking and overconfidence have backfired throughout history

Why complex systems—from ecosystems to global markets—often defy prediction

How psychological traps like revenge, hubris, and wishful thinking distort decision-making

What we can learn from past blunders to navigate present-day challenges like AI, gene editing, and nuclear weapons

Perfect for readers of Thinking, Fast and Slow, The Black Swan, or Freakonomics, this timely book offers both a riveting exploration of human error and a vital roadmap for more mindful, responsible decision-making in a high-stakes world.

In an age of accelerating change and escalating consequences, understanding why good decisions go bad may be the most important decision we can make.