Potential downsides of understanding people’s motivations to do “bad” things (however you define “bad”):
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You could become cynical/misanthropic as you see how many people have these “low motives” and this could damage your ability to relate to people
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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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Replying to @MWStory
That’s actually what I’m talking about. The “low motives” I’m talking about include insecurity and indifference to self destruction.
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Ah! Ok, I was projecting based on my own problems. For a person who actually is competent and goal oriented, of course there’s a huge advantage in recognizing people who aren’t and only working with people who are.
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