Embracing Empathy and Self-awareness

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The key insight here is to acknowledge that everyone, including oneself, holds deluded beliefs about the world. It is crucial to have empathy for others, recognizing that their delusions may not be obvious to them. Daniel Kahneman's observation is highlighted, emphasizing that people are better at identifying others' flaws than their own. However, while respecting others' delusions is important, it is equally vital to draw the line if these delusions cause harm or impediment to others.

One sentence that knocked me off my feet when I read Will and Ariel Durant’s The Lessons of History was: "Learn enough from history to bear reality patiently, and respect one another’s delusions."

I love that so much.

The key here is accepting that everyone is deluded in their own unique way. You, me, all of us.

When you realize that you – the good, noble, well-meaning, even-tempered, fact-driven person that you are – have views of how the world works that are sure to be incomplete if not completely wrong, you should have empathy for others whose deluded beliefs are obvious to you. I am such a fan of Daniel Kahneman’s observation that we are better at spotting other people’s flaws than our own.

This episode shares three reasons why all of us become deluded in our own way.