Cognitive Biases
~3 mins read
TLDR
We know almost nothing yet think we know the best, we often follow the easy path, we make decisions for trivial reasons and pretend otherwise, we often have double standards. We follow stories, winners, bandwagons, .. We do almost everything to feel a bit better.
Pride and Prejudice
We think we are better than we are because the mistakes of others are easier to notice than our own
Brains evolved to save energy so we jump to conclusions, oversimplify, overgeneralize, exaggerate, and stereotype. We do what is quick, easy, and comfortable over what is important.
We deal out judgment to others and seek understanding for ourselves
An action has a motive, often the motive is to feel a bit better, or feeling more free, more secure, more powerful, more liked, feared, or respected. People chase such emotions, money and status are just a proxy
Even a seemingly selfless act makes us feel better about ourselves, though it doesn’t make the act less valuable
We love stories, a good story can easily win over the facts. Emotions make decisions. Reason comes later and justifies.
People believe what they want yet we still try to prove something or to change people.
We can’t read minds or predict other people yet we like to pretend so, as I am doing here
We make ourselves unhappy by comparison, negativity, regret, and worry
We like to cry over spilled milk
Like a gambler, we think our luck will turn after a streak of losses, but every turn is different and no one is keeping the score
Environment shapes us more than we think.
We often make friends with whoever is close by
We love bandwagons, all these people can’t be wrong?
People like you more than you know but they seldom think about you
We generally like to be consistent, to keep commitments
We fear and respect what we don’t know.
We like to fill in the blanks
We want to associate with winners and avoid losers.
We think success is earned and failure is deserved but most things are so random.
We feel envy but wouldn’t want to completely swap ourselves with another person
We tend to do something even when doing nothing is better
We often don’t know where to stop
https://www.clearerthinking.org/tools-and-mini-courses