Mistakes Were Made

But Not By Me...

Mistakes Were Made (But Not By Me) Why We Justify Foolish Beliefs, Bad Decisions, and Hurtful Acts by Carol Tavris and Elliot Aronson has been on my "Must Read" list for some time now.  It came highly recommended and for good reason.  This is a fine book that leads the reader to understand the effect cognitive dissonance - and the means humans employ to minimize it - affects our daily lives in ways great and small.  Well written and very accessible, it's sometimes counter-intuitive message has application to politics, science, the legal system, criminal investigations, critical thinking, and personal relationships.  If you care about the fallout that accompanies self-deception, a sense of entitlement, self-justification, rationalization, and evasion of responsibility, Mistakes Were Made belongs on your bookshelf.  Remember, while we pride ourselves for our rationality, we must also be careful of our tendency toward rationalizing.  The "righter" I am the more careful I must be...