Chapter Five
Intelligent Fools: The Hidden Price Tags of Irritability and Contempt
If I’m not part of the problem, there is no solution.
—Bathroom graffiti
If blaming others is such a destructive practice, why is it so prevalent? People mistakenly believe that blame and self-righteous indignation will move them closer to their goals, regardless if those goals are status, profitability, esteem, promotions, respect, achievement, or success. Blaming others is a widespread problem because the perceived payoffs are immediate and visible, and the costs are delayed and hidden.
Even though my work immerses me in the world of blame and its hidden consequences, it took me many years before I saw all the costs of ridiculing and demeaning others. Once ...
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