What is the illusion of control?
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The "illusion of control" refers to the belief that we have more influence over events and outcomes than we actually do. Several experts discuss this concept in detail:
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Sam Harris describes the illusion of control as a pervasive sense of jeopardy stemming from the mistaken belief in our own subjective agency. He uses an anecdote about a tourist who joins a search party to find a missing person, only to realize she is the missing person herself. This story illustrates how solving perceived problems can unravel when recognizing that the problem was misconstrued from the start 1.
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Ellen Langer notes that people often hold rigid perceptions about others to feel in control. She argues that categorizing people rigidly allows a false sense of security and predictability, which is disrupted by the natural variability and change in human behavior 2.
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Aubrey Marcus and Duncan Trussell highlight that the illusion of control is evident when individuals avoid activities like taking psychedelics for fear of losing control. They point out that such people mistakenly believe they are in control, while, in reality, their emotions such as fear and lust often govern their actions 3.
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Maya Shankar explains that this illusion leads to suffering, as people struggle with the discrepancy between their sense of control and the uncontrollable nature of life events. Adapting to change rather than rigidly trying to control outcomes can alleviate this suffering 4.
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Mo Gawdat elaborates on the grand illusions, with control being one of them. He emphasizes that attempting to control everything is contrary to the inherent chaos and entropy of the universe, leading to inevitable disappointment and disrupted expectations 5.
These insights underline that the illusion of control is a fundamental misunderstanding of our ability to influence external events, which can lead to significant psychological and emotional consequences.
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