The great thing about us is that we are predictably irrational. Our quirk or pattern is that we use shortcuts (biases, heuristics, habits) most of the time, no

The great thing about us is that we are predictably irrational. Our quirk or pattern is that we use shortcuts (biases, heuristics, habits) most of the time, not because we are stupid, lazy or insane, but because they work or used to work most of the time, especially in familiar situations. Shortcuts are used to economize on our time, attention and energy, and they are vital when there is too much information, not enough meaning, when we need to act fast or decide what to remember. Another of our quirk is that we constantly try to hide from and fix reality. Reality is beyond our control, it is complex, random and unfair. It isn't designed to maximize our potential or make us happy, therefore we treat it as if being broken. We always try to fit everything into a coherent pattern. If the information spoils the pattern, we reject it. Having less information can make it even easier to fit everything. We want to be dogmatic and find that one right answer and settle on it. If something is easy it feels true, it feels valid. The problem is that as our access to data as evolved, our brains haven't. We are generally blind to all of this, and we generally struggle to turn our intentions into actions. We are limited, we're of two minds (reactive and deliberative thinking), we use shortcuts, we're deeply affected by context, but what do you expect from a jelly-like three-pound mass of tissue. It also got less efficient as it evolved, as we started to become a civilization. You don't need a big brain if you can use everyone else's.