Counterintuitive Facts (38): The Emperor's New Clothes Happens Around You Every Day
PremiumPreference Falsification: Why does everyone lie, yet everyone thinks only they are lying?
I. Have you been in those "unanimous" meetings? Boss proposes an obviously unreliable plan. He looks around and asks: "Any opinions?" No one speaks. Some nod, some agree. You think this plan is utterly stupid. But seeing everyone agree, you think: "Maybe I don't understand." "Maybe everyone supports it, I shouldn't be the one to stick out." So you raise your hand in agreement.
II. After the meeting, you bump into a colleague in the restroom. Colleague quietly complains: "That plan was a disaster." You're surprised: "You think so too? I thought only I..." Colleague says: "I thought only I..."
III. This is Preference Falsification. Everyone lies in public, hiding their true thoughts. Everyone thinks "only I am lying." Everyone thinks "others are being sincere." So everyone gets fooled. Foole
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