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This is probably the fundamental attribution error in play -- "my situation is a twist of circumstance but their situation is a reflection of poor character and
by wwweston 2y ago
This is probably the fundamental attribution error in play -- "my situation is a twist of circumstance but their situation is a reflection of poor character and choices that need to be policed."
The Golden Rule is an ages-old part of this conversation because it helps people confront this common bias. Imagine your situations are reversed, how would you want things done? Do that.
- netsharc 2y agoYeah, believing the mantra "If you work hard you'll succeed" also means believing "If you're a failure that means you're lazy".
- wwweston 2y agoThere seems to be a class of decent mantras / heuristics like this: * Good at a first approximation for directing your own agency (conscientious effort definitely improves chances of success, there are few reasons not to engage it other than "your ladder is on the wrong wall" situations). * Much poorer as a general model of the world, especially one that should be socialized.
- balamatom 2y agoPast a certain point (which a lot of people encounter quite early in life) I'd rather liken it to sunk cost fallacy, than to fundamental attribution error. Otherwise, the Golden Rule is great, except for FAE being a good example of how it isn't particularly applicable in practice.
- Ferret7446 2y agoThis doesn't mean the attribution error is wrong in the direction you're implying it is. It does not mean that your assessment of others' situations is wrong, it may mean your assessment of your situation is wrong (and your assessment that others made bad choices is right).