We commonly believe that we
understand others better than they understand us.
The reasoning for this stems
from our external, objective viewpoint and the assumption that the other person
has a significant blind-self, and our own blind-self is small.
There is also asymmetry in the
reverse situation -- we believe we understand ourselves better than others
understand us and may feel insulted if they try to show they understand us more
than we do.
The same effect happens for
groups, where the in-group believes they understand out-groups better than
out-groups understand them.
Overall, this is a position
where we generally assume we know more than others, perhaps because we know
more about what we know.
Example:
In an argument with another
person you tell them what they are like in detail because clearly, they have
very little self-knowledge. They argue back telling you things about yourself
that are clearly wrong or that you knew anyway. How can people be so stupid?
Be cautious about judging
others and assumptions that they do not know themselves.
When others try to read your
mind, forgive them their foolishness. Do not be drawn into verbal sparring.
TJ
