The hottest Self-deception Substack posts right now

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The psychology of evil

Building the Builders • 19 implied HN points • 28 Jan 26
📖 Philosophy Self-deception
  1. Evil often grows from self-deception: when anger and grievance get untethered from real values, people justify rumination and victim narratives that can escalate into destructive behavior.
  2. The key choice point is what you do when you notice you’re spiraling — either honestly examine your motives and reorient toward constructive aims, or rationalize and double down, and those repeated choices determine whether you heal or become corrosive.
  3. The antidote is to reorient toward building real values: take responsibility, calibrate your feelings to the facts, limit rumination, and pursue constructive solutions instead of getting energy from others’ downfall.

Psychology Links, 1/19/2025

In My Tribe • 379 implied HN points • 19 Jan 25
📖 Philosophy Self-deception
  1. Many adults get stuck at a certain stage of moral development, which limits their understanding of complex societal issues. It's important to transition to a higher stage to deal with modern challenges.
  2. People often don't recognize their true motives and tend to present themselves in a better light. This self-deception can make us overly optimistic about ideas like socialism.
  3. Some people are naturally inclined to enforce social norms, which can lead to dangerous ideologies if not kept in check. It's essential to be aware of these tendencies in order to maintain a balanced society.

Feynman, Fairy Tales & Fooling Ourselves

Weekly Wisdom • 139 implied HN points • 16 Feb 23
📖 Philosophy Self-deception
  1. Richard Feynman emphasized the importance of not fooling oneself, as we are often prone to self-deception.
  2. Fairy tales serve as more than simple children's stories, often exploring dark themes and offering lessons through storytelling.
  3. Stories like 'The Emperor's New Clothes' highlight human tendencies such as vanity, greed, conformity, and the importance of speaking up against falsehoods.

What hope do we have?

Disaffected Newsletter • 279 implied HN points • 01 Sep 22
📖 Philosophy Self-deception
  1. People often cling to lies even when they know the truth. This can be seen in how they react to undeniable evidence.
  2. Everyone is capable of accepting falsehoods, not just 'bad' or 'stupid' people. It's a common human experience that can shape one's life negatively.
  3. Doubts about societal and governmental care can lead to feelings of disillusionment. Many people feel that policies may do more harm than good, and that true concern is often self-serving.

The Romantic Myth of the Tortured Alcoholic Artist

Anxiety Addiction & Ascension • 79 implied HN points • 25 Oct 22
🎭️ Culture Self-deception
  1. Creativity should not be romanticized as dependent on alcohol and drugs. They can hinder rather than enhance one's work.
  2. The idea of the tortured artist using substances as part of their identity is a harmful myth that can lead to self-deception and hinder creativity.
  3. Using alcohol and drugs excessively can have long-term negative impacts, and moderation and awareness are key to prevent a downward spiral.
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Self-deceptive Imaginativeness

Journal of Gurdjieff Studies • 19 implied HN points • 14 Sep 23
⛪ Faith & Spirituality Self-deception
  1. The post discusses the concept of 'Self-deceptive Imaginativeness' and seems to require knowledge of core fourth way texts.
  2. The post includes an image of a lion attacking a hunting party atop an elephant, with a reference to Kishangarh, Anonymous ca.1810.
  3. To access the full content and subscribe, the post is meant for paid subscribers of the journalgurdjieffstudies.substack.com.