Being Wrong: Adventures in the Margin of Error

by Kathryn Schulz

Our models of the world extend beyond markets and mattresses and the general theory of relativity, into a kind of General Theory of Us: whether we think we are attractive and intelligent, competent or inept, better or worse off than other people; whether we think our parents loved us; whether we think a God is watching over us; whether we think we are basically safe and cared for in the world. Convictions like these organize our idea of who we are, as well as how we relate to our environment. As that suggests, and as we’ll see throughout this book, our beliefs are inextricable from our identities. That’s one reason why being wrong can so easily wound our sense of self. And it’s also why psychotherapy often focuses on helping people to examine—and, when necessary, change—their beliefs about themselves and others. Regardless of whether those beliefs are conscious or unconscious, regardless of whether they are right or wrong, they determine how we feel and how we behave every day of our lives.