Mistakes Were Made (but Not by Me)
by Carol Tavris and Elliot Aronson
Cognitive dissonance and self-justification: why we defend bad decisions, in politics, medicine, marriage and memory. Clear, funny and uncomfortable.
Read it if…
you want to understand why nobody admits being wrong, including you.
See the book →
Skip it if…
you want comfort.
Try instead: The Invisible Gorilla →
Three things you will actually use
- Dissonance drives self-justification.
- The pyramid of choice.
- Own mistakes early.
Do this first
Read the chapter on marriage.
Our verdict
Self-justification, explained.
See the book →
Compare with other Character books
The Knowledge Illusion
Steven Sloman and Philip Fernbach · Character
Why we never think alone.
CLICK TO SEE
Browse all Character book reviews or get the free Reality Code Cheat Sheet.
As an Amazon Associate, WisdomDeck earns from qualifying purchases. Links marked “Click to see” go to Amazon. We are not paid for opinions, prices and availability are not shown here and change on Amazon, and we never see your purchase details. Nothing here is medical, legal or financial advice.