Consensual self-deception: An essential trouble with humanity
Last Friday at a dinner party chez Catherine and Hugues, Ron, a seasoned business man and a neighbour told us a story, which had its underpinnings in these six points from the book: LEADERSHIP AND SELF-DECEPTION from “THE ARBINGER INSTITUTE”
1) An act contrary to a feeling of what I should do for another person is called an act of self-betrayal
2) When I betray myself, I begin to see the world in a way that justifies my self-betrayal
3) When I see a justifying world, my view of reality is distorted
4) When I betray myself I enter the box
5) In time, certain boxes become characteristic of me
6) When I am in the box I encourage others to get into the box
Ron put this in to the context of a simple life situation. Husband and wife and a baby crying at night. Husband wakes up. He has two choices, either he goes and pacifies the baby or he does not, potentially waking up his wife or his wife wakes up as the baby keeps on crying.
