Gray on the back of the neck

There's a saying in my hometown: "We can't even see ourselves," meaning it's difficult for people to recognize their own shortcomings. Recently, during my New Year's break, I devoured MIT professor Ariely's monumental work on behavioral economics, *Predictably Irrational*. I kept having this feeling that what the author describes in the book is essentially ourselves, and I think these observations are actually very relevant to everyone in this world (including myself). Therefore, I've summarized them below.
One key point: We don't understand our impulsive selves—
Many people know that human thoughts and behaviors differ between rational and irrational states, but we usually underestimate the amount of rationality we retain under various impulsive emotional states, including sexual excitement, anger, hunger, agitation, and jealousy. The author uses detailed experiments to compare behavioral biases between normal emotional states and impulsive states, ranging from 18% to 229%. Under impulsive emotional states, we disregard risks, blur the lines between right and wrong, and become unlike ourselves. This explains why there are so many seemingly abnormal examples in reality: a good-natured neighbor becomes irritable because of traffic and crashes into a truck; a teenager points a gun at his friend; a pastor rapes a boy.
It turns out that when we let ourselves be in an impulsive state, we almost become a different person. The best way is to avoid entering into impulsive emotions in the first place. I know this is difficult, and I don't have an easier strategy to implement. The only thing I can do is try to avoid making decisions in an impulsive state—the so-called "deal with your emotions first, then deal with the matter." Regarding this, the author suggests: If our boss criticizes us in public, we might want to send a strongly worded email in response, but wouldn't it be better to put it in the "drafts" for a few days first? When we're captivated by a sports car during a test drive, should we pause and discuss the plan to buy an SUV with our wives before signing the contract?
Therefore, if you can't avoid entering an impulsive state, wait for it to cool down; this will greatly reduce the chances of you hating yourself afterwards.
The second point: "Cherishing what you have"—we
tend to overestimate everything we own, whether it's a house or a sports ticket. The author uses a vivid example to illustrate this point: The author and his wife bought a house and, according to their preferences, converted it into an open-plan layout, spending a lot of money on renovations. They were quite satisfied with the changes, but several years later, they couldn't sell it. Finally, their real estate agent advised them to add a few walls and revert the previous modifications. Ironically, after following this advice, the house sold. The author reflects, "Buyers are buying a house, not our home; they have their own home in their minds."
One reason for overestimating this is that we don't consider things from the other person's perspective.
We add memories, emotions, and experiences to our possessions, turning them into a vessel for stories, making them valuable in our own eyes. But for the other person, it's simply something they want to buy, without any added value. They are using their own standards to measure whether it meets their requirements.
We imbue our abilities with profound meaning, whether it's something we've honed over a long period or something connected to a somewhat legendary experience. However, to those who need your abilities, it's simply an ability, regardless of how it was acquired. What they care about is how well the ability fits their requirements and its level of sophistication.
Therefore, try to abandon the idea of "cherishing your own broom" and compare your broom to others in the objective market. You'll gain a clearer understanding.
The third point: Honesty is harder for people than we imagine—
the author conducted an experiment on exam cheating at Harvard Business School, renowned for cultivating top American business leaders. The experiment yielded two conclusions:
1. Given the right opportunity, many normally honest people will cheat.
2. Even without the risk of being caught, they won't go too far down the path of dishonesty.
I think the second point is the fundamental reason why the world is still developing healthily, while the first conclusion is chilling upon closer examination! In reality, people are not only easily tempted, but more importantly, cheating is most likely to occur when it comes to things that are just a step away from cash. For example, taking a pencil from the office to take home, taking a bottle of cola from the shared refrigerator, or taking advantage of a store's return policy to wear free clothes. Because these bargains aren't cash, people easily rationalize their actions: "I just took something; I didn't directly take money from anyone's pocket." This excuse only makes them feel better but doesn't stand the test of right and wrong. When taking advantage of something, one should remember that although it may not be cash, it can be converted into money.
Therefore, if you have such a habit, correct it; if not, strive to improve. Always be vigilant: all free things actually have a hidden price tag.
Finally, I want to ask: what is human nature? Human nature is the annihilation of human nature. What we call human nature today is merely a product of various embellishments after being refined by historical trends and the test of time. Essentially, human nature is "survival," also known as the law of the jungle.
This was indeed true for prehistoric humans as well. As society undergoes civilized changes, many of the most essential things about humanity have been gradually forgotten. People are increasingly drawn to the allure and temptations of the world, forgetting the most basic meaning and principles of human survival, as well as the inherent cognitive biases and blind spots.

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Gray on the back of the neck

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