When people's actions have outcomes that don't line up…

When people's actions have outcomes that don't line up with how they see themselves, they tend to insulate their egos by blaming other people or unfavorable circumstances. Psychologists even have a term for this tendency. They call it self-serving bias, a habit of evaluating things in ways that protect or enhance our self-image.

— from The Instruments (Awareness/Perception/Expectations)

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