Don’t Attribute To Malice What Can Be Attributed To Incompetence
For whatever reason, a human’s built-in reaction whenever someone does something bad to them is to assume that person is “out to get them.”
Someone cuts us off on the freeway, and we instantly think “That idiot is trying to run me off the road” or “They did that on purpose.”
And while that may be the case, rarely is it true. Typically, that person is preoccupied with their own life. They are stressing about work or an upcoming bill, and lost in thought, switching lanes without realizing how close they were to you. They aren’t evil, just distracted.
There are a few reasons why attributing something to incompetence rather than malice is a better choice.
It is more accurate. The truth is that people are not out to get us, especially random people we do not personally know.
It makes your life more enjoyable. Believing that random people are evil and out to get you is no way to live your life. By giving people the benefit of the doubt and assuming they are incompetent rather that evil it will make you feel better.
It makes you a more enjoyable person. We all know those people who go on and on about how people are trying to bring them down, sabotage them at work, or ruin their lives. Those people typically aren’t very fun to be around. By not making up irrational scenarios in your head that in no way at all mimic the real world people will want to spend more time with you!
Most people in this world are good people.