~Kaden Ata, Class of 2024 

In biology, my class studied the concept of systems and subsystems, such as the digestive and respiratory tracts, and how they function within an organism. We learned that all the systems and organs within the body rely on each other. If the human body were deconstructed, the individual parts would be almost useless as the human body itself is a system that relies on all of its parts correctly working together.

This idea can be applied to life beyond school in understanding how tools, machines, organizations, and communities operate. For example, a car engine is a subsystem enclosed by a larger system which is the automobile itself. If the car engine were to stop or break, the whole car would stop. Just like before, the parts of the system alone are useless, but when assembled correctly, the machine can complete its task.

There are also intangible systems such as the global financial system which is made up of a complex network of banks, transactions, and markets that control the money that flows throughout our world. These systems are slightly different from the physical systems that we see everyday. Although we can not see them, they are a big part of our lives. For example, the global financial system is a system that controls a vast amount of the world’s money. The stock market is an example of a subsystem within the global financial system. But the stock market wouldn’t run without people buying and selling products as well as buying and selling stock. The stock market relies on people, or else the system will collapse.

Within all these systems, almost every piece is dependent on some other piece or system. This all circles back to people and society. People are dependent on others. When people connect, learn, and understand, that’s when significant things happen. Different people have various skills and opinions that play a role in a system such as a company where there are many tasks to complete but each requires a unique set of skills as well as a specific view. Those people need to connect and combine their work to reach their final goal. Just like in machines, it is important to learn how parts work together in addition to understanding one individual’s part and purpose. 

The understanding of systems underlines the importance of collaboration and connectivity within machines, intangible systems, and people. When the parts of a system collaborate that is when positive change and function are achieved.