Don’t Shoot The Messenger
… blaming or punishing the person delivering bad news.
It's not uncommon for people to direct blame towards the bearer of unfavorable information.
There are several reasons why people do this, including:
- A need for coherence and predictability
When confronted with unexpected or unfavorable information.
People often seek to make sense of the situation to regain a sense of control and understanding.
A sense of something is all they need to be satisfied, no matter if their “senses” are wrong.
The feeling of coherence is enough for them, and questioning their senses is outright rejected because it destroys their identity.
Avoiding confrontation
Receiving bad news can trigger feelings of anger and frustration.
Instead of addressing the core issue or the actual source of the problem, people often redirect their emotions towards the messenger, thereby alleviating some of their distress.
Blame attribution
When unexpected things happen, people often look for someone to blame.
This helps them preserve a positive self-image, even if it is a fraudulent fantasy, and maintain the image of group harmony in their consciousness.
Ignore Warnings
Throughout history, individuals have consistently shown a proclivity for ignoring or minimizing safety warnings, even if those warnings are issued by credible sources.
Often, our desire to achieve our goals overrides safety concerns, leading us to take the simplest route.
More Freedom NOT Less
It’s important to lead people to credible sources and encourage them to think critically about the information they encounter.
It’s also crucial to understand why someone believes what they do and to approach conversations with empathy and patience, even when they don’t do the same for you.
