"An irrational belief in irrational ideas usually leads to irrational results" - Futurist Jim Carroll

So let's try and figure out what's going on.

I took today's quote, fed it to ChatGPT, and got the picture above which I used for today;'s 'inspiration' image.

Look, in the last little while, I've looked into the Science of Stupidity,  the Science of Mistakes, and The Science of Regret. So why not the Science of Irrational Decisions, which I learned is often referred to as "cognitive distortions." There's a lot to be found online to explain where we are.  Charts and stuff that explain the many different types of irrational decisions aka cognitive distortions.

There's even a course or two to take on it.

It's a fascinating topic, and as expected, there's a lot of research to be found. It's a wonderful rabbit hole to plunge into because you will find such papers as 
Overcoming Cognitive Distortions; How to Recognize and Challenge the Thinking Traps that Make You Miserable.

That tracks. People seem to be pretty miserable right now because of the cognitive distortions they've gone through that got us to where we are today.
And, as might expected, there is to be a leadership / personal growth book about it, with the title Predictably IrrationalL: The Hidden Forces that Shape our Decisions, released back in 2008. It probably could use an update!

So let's dig in, shall we? Let's talk about why folks make poor choices about big economic and political issues that end up hurting everyone. 

Here's what the science tells us. When people vote against their economic interests or support harmful policies, it's rarely because they're stupid. Their brains just don't always work in their best interest when dealing with complex global systems. Why is that? Our brains take shortcuts. We use mental rules of thumb that help us make quick decisions. This works fine for everyday choices but fails miserably when considering trade policy, inflation control, voting, or healthcare systems.

What happens to people in this circumstance? They get emotional about political and economic issues. Fear, anger, and tribalism cloud their judgment. When someone supports tariffs that will ultimately hurt local businesses because they sound "tough on foreign competition" - that's emotional reasoning drowning out economic reality. It's cognitive dissonance, plain and simple.

The kicker is that the condition leads to great uncertainty, which fuels itself creating more uncertainty in a vicious spiral.

It's complex, folks, and there is no easy way out.

Buckle up.

Read the rest of the post.

**#Irrationality** **#Cognition** **#Distortion** **#Economics** **#Politics** **#Decisions** **#Tribalism** **#Uncertainty** **#Bias** **#Denialism**

Original post: https://jimcarroll.com/2025/03/daily-inspiration-cognitive-distortions-an-irrational-belief-in-irrational-ideas-usually-leads-to-irrational-results/

"Remorse we can feel. Regret is what we live. But consequence is what lingers" - Futurist Jim Carroll

Let's talk about the science of regret.

I mean, why not?

It seems like a timely topic.

And I've most recently covered The Science of Stupidity and The Science of Mistakes.

So why not The Science of Regret?

I'm on a roll here. Buyers remorse and all that.

What should we know about regret? What should we understand about its nature, impact, and how our brains process it? After all, we might find ourselves around people (at this moment in time, in particular) who are deep in their emotions of regret, and are now thinking about the consequences.

First, what is the definition and nature of regret? I asked Google Notebook after pulling in a large number of articles and YouTube videos related to the science of regret.

"Regret is a negative emotion stemming from a disappointing life event, unchangeable choices, or things said that can't be taken back. It is a painful experience that includes blaming ourselves for a bad outcome.

Ok, that makes sense.

It went on:

- It's a complex emotion involving sorrow and responsibility for the consequences of one's actions.

- Regret is related to choice; it is felt when a wrong decision is made and one wishes they had decided differently.

- Feelings of regret show increased activity in the medial orbitofrontal cortex of the brain.

OK, since it might seem there is some regret unfolding around some areas of the world right now, faster than ever before, what can we understand about the emotions of those who are going through it? The answer is ... um ... interesting.

How Regret Differs From Other Emotions:

- Regret involves comparison and blame, differing from disappointment, which lacks the element of personal fault.

- While guilt is responsibility for specific wrongdoing and shame is a feeling of being flawed, regret combines elements of both, along with a desire to rectify harm.

...along with a desire to rectify harm... that sounds promising.

But wait. There's a lot more about the science of regret that might help you understand today's world.

**#Regret** **#Consequences** **#Psychology** **#Reflection** **#Remorse** **#Growth** **#Decisions** **#Emotions** **#Learning** **#Redemption**

Original post: https://jimcarroll.com/2025/03/daily-inspiration-understanding-decisions-remorse-we-can-feel-regret-is-what-we-live-but-consequence-is-what-lingers/