Beware of Neat Stories

We are suckers for stories.

Once in a while, a set of facts challenge our worldview. But our brain really tries to fit into the neat story that we tell ourselves. The world is messy, and sometimes stochasticity thwarts even the best laid plans.

It's extremely hard to do — but I believe people who excel in developing new ideas actively seek out information that clashes with their mental models. If you can't perceive change, you can't adapt.

Skepticism of neat stories is a great shield against herd behavior. And we all know herd behavior is responsible for the success of all scams.

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