Benefit of the doubt
An expression Iâve been thinking about lately is âbenefit of the doubtâ.
To fail to give someone the benefit of the doubt reveals more about your character than it does about the person youâre judging. For your default assumption to be that someone acts nefariously is to expose the fact that you would do the same in a given situation.
Furthermore, giving the benefit of the doubt helps to foster a âgenerosity of mindâ. To be skeptical of the actions of a friend or associate is to be intellectually miserly. Miserliness, remember, is something the Escapologist seeks to avoid. By fostering a generosity of mind, you become less guarded toward your fellow man. Let him in! Escapologists have a hard enough time building muscles of resistance against normative living and honing critical faculties (asking âwhy?â of normal behaviour) without eying peers with suspicion.
This has been todayâs lesson in cod psychology.
About Robert Wringham
Robert Wringham is the editor of New Escapologist. He also writes books and articles. Read more at wringham.co.uk
Your reaction to most things in life says more about you than it does the situation. Unless it is an allergic reaction, that is. Iâm allergic to Cob Nuts. I have an anaphalactic (?)shock. I call it a prophylactic shock. Nobody laughs.
Youâre probably right. About reactions saying more about yourself that is. Not the anaphylactic thing.
I agree wholeheartedly with the call to greater generosity of mind. To hope that anyone and everyone I encounter could be a friend definitely increases the friendliness vibe. But once youâve evidence of someoneâs malice, you have to assume nefariousness until proven wrong. Didnât you just publish a whole issue devoted to mala fide? Unfortunately, we know it exists.
Hi Maus. There are certainly circumstances that would reduce oneâs ability to give the benefit of the doubt. My project is to try and expand my definition of the conditions in which I would grant benefit of the doubt. Iâm starting to believe that the social and intellectual advantages of doing so will usually outweigh any possible wound inflicted by a nefarious party.
Our Bad Faith issue was based more around the Existential kind of Bad Faith (mauvaise foi) than the legal/social form (mala fide). But your point remains: in a world where mala fide exists, it is impossible not to be on the lookout for it.