Nirvana Fallacy
🧠 Psych - 114 / 200
Hello,
Hope you are having a great September!
Did you know there exists a fallacy called the Nirvana fallacy? Let’s learn!
What is it?
Comparing actual things with unrealistic alternatives. It can also refer to the tendency to assume there is a perfect solution to a particular problem.
Examples -
Posit (fallacious)
“These anti-drunk driving ad campaigns are not going to work. People are still going to drink and drive no matter what.”
Rebuttal - Complete eradication of drunk driving is not the expected outcome. The goal is reduction.
Where does it occur?
You are prone to falling for the fallacy if you think a certain situation or a problem has a perfect solution.
Why do I need to know?
It can hinder your progress and stop you from achieving something before you even begin.
Overthinking and looking for the perfect approach to ‘begin’ is (maybe) overrated.
References & Studies: -
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nirvana_fallacy#Examples
https://nesslabs.com/nirvana-fallacy
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See The Psych Handbook which is a definitive guide to 100+ psychological biases.