“I know somebody” is not always corruption; sometimes it’s survival.

In a system where processes are slow and trust is thin, people lean on relationships to reduce uncertainty. Knowing someone doesn’t guarantee success, but it lowers friction. It opens doors that might otherwise remain shut for months.

This reliance didn’t appear out of nowhere. It grew from years of institutions failing to work consistently. When systems don’t protect people, people protect themselves with networks.

The danger is not in relationships themselves, but in replacing competence with proximity. When knowing someone becomes more important than knowing how to do the work, progress slows.

Perhaps the real question is not whether connections should exist, but how much weight they should carry.

Have you noticed moments where knowing someone mattered more than the process?

Others may have experienced this differently, and their stories add useful perspective.