The Art of Authenticity

8Internalized Moral Perspective/An Active, Unique GPS System

Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, “Let me take the speck out of your eye” and behold the log is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.

—Matthew 7:3–5, New American Standard Bible¹

I want to show you that an obsession with righteousness (leading inevitably to self-righteousness) is the normal human condition. It is a feature of our evolutionary design, not a bug or error that crept into minds that would otherwise be objective and rational.

—Jonathan Haidt, The Righteous Mind²

A scorpion and a frog need to cross a river. The frog is obviously better equipped for such a trip, and so the scorpion asks if he can hitch a ride on his back. The frog is afraid of being stung, because he is dealing with a scorpion. Scorpions sting, and the sting would kill the frog. The scorpion argues that if he stings the frog as they're crossing the river, they will both die. In other words, logically, it is not in the best interests of the scorpion to sting the frog. The frog follows the logic and agrees to cross the river with the scorpion riding along.

Halfway through the trip across the river, the scorpion stings the ...