The world simply must not be a better place according to the Chaos Merchant. If people were less beaten down by their environments, there would be no new funds for police, armies and weapons. There would be no pennies for newspapers that exaggerate stories to make them seem worse than they are.

As long as politicians, weapons manufacturers and the media profit from crime, war and bad news, there will continue to be those who spread confusion and upset.

But this is the created world, not the real world. Behind all the disturbance there exists a calmer environment. It is one in which people can live and feel better. It is a world where people do heroic deeds and neighbors help each other. It is a world where people overcome huge odds to achieve extraordinary things.

The difference between a competent person and an incompetent person is shown in the person’s environment. A person who is not very competent is not able to adjust his environment to meet his needs. But a person who is competent can adjust his environment so that he survives better. For example, if he needs to increase his income to support a growing family, he will find a way to do so.

The nineteenth-century psychologist had the idea that a person had to “adjust to his environment.” This false information has done harm to people, groups and races. The truth is that anyone is as successful as he adjusts the environment to him.

Being competent means the ability to control and operate the things in the environment.

By recognizing the actions of the Chaos Merchant, people can begin to better control their environments and succeed in their lives.