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Kindle Notes & Highlights
‘Life has taught me a great deal,’ it began, ‘including the lesson that you should always look for what is good and positive in people.’
When you’re treated with kindness, it’s easy to do the right thing.
To believe people are hardwired to be kind isn’t sentimental or naive. On the contrary, it’s courageous and realistic to believe in peace and forgiveness.
new world that awaits if we revise our view of human nature.
After all, if we believe most people are decent and kind, everything changes. We can completely rethink how we organise our schools and prisons, our businesses and democracies. And how we live our own lives.
I: When in doubt, assume the best
Konnikova, the leading expert on frauds and swindles, comes to a very different conclusion. Far better, she says, is to accept and account for the fact that you’ll occasionally be cheated. That’s a small price to pay for the luxury of a lifetime of trusting other people. Most of us feel ashamed when our faith turns out to have been misplaced. But maybe, if you’re a realist, you ought to feel a little proud. In fact, I’d go even farther: if you’ve never been conned, then you should be asking if your basic attitude is trusting enough.
II: Think in win-win scenarios
