solutionism en · NOUN
Etymology
Etymology tree Latin solūtiō Latin solūtiōnembor. Old French solucionbor. Middle English solucioun English solution Proto-Indo-European *-id- Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-idyéti Proto-Hellenic *-íd͏̌d͏̌ō Ancient Greek -ῐ́ζω (-ĭ́zō) Proto-Indo-European *-mos Proto-Indo-European *-mós Ancient Greek -μός (-mós) Ancient Greek -ισμός (-ismós)der. English -ism English solutionism From solution + -ism.
Meanings
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(uncountable) The belief that all difficulties have benign solutions, often of a technocratic nature.
Solutionism is just a belief that for every problem there exists a solution; and successful persons are those who solve problems.
1984, D. Philip Baker, The Library Media Program and the School, Littleton, Colo.: Libraries Unlimited, →ISBN, page 54: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.
2013, Evgeny Morozov, chapter 1, in To Save Everything, Click Here, →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.
2014, M. Berry, M. Schleser, Mobile Media Making in an Age of Smartphones, Springer, →ISBN:
- (uncountable) The providing of a solution or solutions to a customer or client (sometimes before a problem has been identified).