Blame Instinct hinders thinking by pointing fingers
from Factfulness:
Factfulness is … recognizing when a scapegoat is being used and remembering that blaming an individual often steals the focus from other possible explanations and blocks our ability to prevent similar problems in the future.
To control the blame instinct, resist finding a scapegoat.
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Look for causes, not villains. When something goes wrong don’t look for an individual or a group to blame. Accept that bad things can happen without anyone intending them to. Instead spend your energy on understanding the multiple interacting causes, or system, that created the situation. (see Hanlon's razor avoids paranoia and ideology)
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Look for systems, not heroes. When someone claims to have caused something good, ask whether the outcome might have happened anyway, even if that individual had done nothing. Give the system some credit. (see Systems Thinking)
See also:
- Hanlon's razor avoids paranoia and ideology
- Systems Thinking perceives the relationships and structure of complex systems
Others in this series:
- Gap Instinct hinders thinking by ignoring the middle majority
- Negativity Instinct hinders thinking by emphasizing bad news
- Straight Line Instinct hinders thinking by assuming trends will continue
- Fear Instinct hinders thinking by confusing risk with fear
- Size Instinct hinders thinking by considering a number without context
- Generalization Instinct hinders thinking by using misleading categories
- Destiny Instinct hinders thinking by forgetting that small changes add up
- Single Perspective Instinct hinders thinking by having only a hammer
- Blame Instinct hinders thinking by pointing fingers
- Urgency Instinct hinders thinking by exaggerating a decision's urgency