Practical methods from The Elephant in the Brain: distrusting your own explanations, reading status in body language, and separating credentials from knowledge.
Yes, self‑deception is actually a coherence mechanism. The “press secretary” is working to stabilize the narrative the mind needs to be socially functional. That dual‑layer structure is why flattery works even if it's false and why calibration matters more than cynicism. You have to be aware of both while being aware of which is dominating. It seems that the discomfort is in recognizing how willing you are to admit to protecting our coherence rather than embracing accuracy.
Coherence is the right word for it, and it has a price attached.
Kahneman's version in Thinking, Fast and Slow is that coherence produces confidence rather than accuracy. The story holds together, so it feels true, and how much had to be left out to make it hold is exactly the part you cannot see.
Which is your own valve point from the other thread, turned inward. The narrowing that makes you socially functional is the same narrowing that stops you auditing it.
Yes, self‑deception is actually a coherence mechanism. The “press secretary” is working to stabilize the narrative the mind needs to be socially functional. That dual‑layer structure is why flattery works even if it's false and why calibration matters more than cynicism. You have to be aware of both while being aware of which is dominating. It seems that the discomfort is in recognizing how willing you are to admit to protecting our coherence rather than embracing accuracy.
Coherence is the right word for it, and it has a price attached.
Kahneman's version in Thinking, Fast and Slow is that coherence produces confidence rather than accuracy. The story holds together, so it feels true, and how much had to be left out to make it hold is exactly the part you cannot see.
Which is your own valve point from the other thread, turned inward. The narrowing that makes you socially functional is the same narrowing that stops you auditing it.
You said it better than I did!