Major findings ⚓
"Truthiness is the belief or assertion that a particular statement is true based on the intuition or perceptions of some individual or individuals without regard to evidence, logic, intellectual examination, or facts."
—Wikipedia
> delusional optimism | major findings
anchoring bias | Drives how we perceive the value of something and how we compare it to alternatives. Like other biases, it occurs subconsciously and is difficult to interrupt.
- example At a car dealership, the fixed-point sticker price anchors us and restricts our ability to negotiate a better deal. The auto seller set an anchor before we showed up.
availability heuristic | When making quick decisions, the human mind grabs at whatever memories it can find. As this happens, accuracy is not always the top priority. The more vivid or recent our experiences, the more accessible the memories.
- example A person wrongly concludes that flying is more dangerous than driving. Instead of relying on facts, they recall images of crashes. Noisy billboards and vivid, busy ads also exploit this cognitive shortcut.
loss aversion | We cling to things that feel certain and push away new opportunities, even when they present only a mild risk. We’ll irrationally ignore or throw away sensible opportunities.
- example Imagine someone you know hanging on to an old relationship. It's familiar to them, but the relationship no longer brings them joy.
representativeness | We often ignore available evidence in favor of quicker and more convenient stereotypes when trying to make decisions.
- example We assume that someone leaving a church is a parishioner and not there for an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting.
prospect theory | Uncovered by famed psychologists Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky, this theory illuminates the role that emotions like fear and regret play in our preferences and purchases.
- example Researchers say we’re willing to drive an extra ten minutes to save $10 on a $50 toy. But we won’t drive ten minutes to save $20 on a $20,000 car. Our financial gain would double, but our enthusiasm has vanished.
- next time "Human beings are not rational by default."
- listening Phil Collins "In The Air Tonight"
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Three houses 🍸🕯️
> how to hug a man | low glow
It's probably not accurate in the addiction world to refer to Alcoholics Anonymous as "group therapy." Experts might prefer "support group" or "self-help group."
But that seems to leave out so much.
- For so many like me, Alcoholics Anonymous is an act of desperation when your alcoholism has burned the earth around you to ashes.
- Not to mention, you don't need an insurance card, and AA is free worldwide.
Not only that, AA is the best podcast most people will never hear.
It wouldn't be out of place for someone to share at a meeting that they lost three houses and a fistfight with the interior of a casino elevator before making it to their first meeting. 🏠︎ 👊
Seven DUIs wouldn't be a shock, either. You see every profession and every income level.
Even today, I experience a low, warm glow at and after meetings. I'm not alone in my shame.
At Alcoholics Anonymous, you won't be kicked out for being drunk.
If you're drunk at an AA meeting, that's the evidence you need AA.
And the people of AA will always be waiting.
- next time "They can clumsily attempt interventions."
- listening Queens of the Stone Age "If Only"
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