Potential downsides of understanding people’s motivations to do “bad” things (however you define “bad”):
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You could become extremely guilty as you realize how many “low motives” you yourself possess
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You could become less willing to oppose bad behavior because you find it easier to empathize with
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You could become trapped in “low motives” or dysfunctional mindsets yourself, as a result of spending too much attention on modeling them in others
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I think these potential downsides are actually real and people who fear them have a point. I’d love to hear the case for these fears being unrealistic or surmountable.
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Alternatively: what are the advantages of understanding people’s motivations to do bad things, which are big enough to outweigh the risk of cynicism, guilt, social contagion, etc?
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End of conversation
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