Why do people still repeat the same mistakes of others?
2006-07-28 09:18:22 · 12 answers · asked by violeo 5 in Social Science ➔ Psychology
Several reasons.
Firstly, we don't expect what happened to someone else to happen to us, and therefore do not take on the moral learned by others through the same experience.
Secondly, we did not personally experience the event, and even when recounted to us, it does not possess the same emotional content, and inspire the same emotional reactions within us as it did to the person who experienced it first hand. The emotions experienced by the actual person were likely unpleasant and extreme enough to serve as a deterrent in future similar situations. However, as another party who merely hears of the event we fail to replicate these emotions to such a degree, as we may believe we would handle it differently, or not understand the depth of the emotions experienced by the individual. We are therefore unconstrained by the same emotions and do not possess the same deterrent.
I guess also humans are driven by curiosity, and you can't believe anything entirely unless you've experienced it yourself. If someone told me a puddle that seemes fairly shallow was actually six feet deep I may not opnly disbelieve them, but dip my foot in it in order to verify my opinion. This may lead me into the same peril that taught them that in the first place.
Ignorance may also play a part. If I have never heard that I'm in more danger standing under a tree during a lightning storm, then I, like people before me, may be struck by lightning. You can only learn from someone else's mistake if you actually know of them in detail to begin with.
Stupidity is another very good reason... I'm sure I needen't explain how this may come into play...
2006-07-28 09:33:00 · answer #1 · answered by old_but_still_a_child 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Mom is in the kitchen cooking dinner. Her young toddler is nearby. She tells the young toddler not to touch cause that is "hot." What does child do? He touches. Why?
Cause the kid doesn't know what "hot" is! He's never seen hot, he's never felt hot, he has no clue. And one way a child explores is through touch. Therefore, he touches the hot to find out exactly what hot is.
As people grow older, they do not leave this bad habit behind. The mistakes made in the past were not their mistakes so they can ot truly understand or comprehend them. In order to learn from those mistakes, they must reinvent the wheel and make the same mistakes themselves.
It's all of the great learning process that is life. I am sure that if you are honest with yourself, you can think back to many times within your life when you have done the same thing yourself.
2006-07-29 21:55:38 · answer #2 · answered by mmpd0157 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You have answered your own question my friend!!
2 world wars... more conflicts than we care to count... hundreds of millions of deaths... and people still think war & death is the answer to LIFE!!
And it will always be the same... as people will never learn that the answers do not lie in guns, bombs, & killing!!
Then you also have the... It won't happen to me syndrome!!
The... rules are meant to be broken syndrome!!
The... I know better than you syndrome!!
The... Who gives a flying **** syndrome!!
The... Why should I give a **** syndrome!!
For all of which there is no medication other than.. 2000mg of 'Fukital'!! Which is proven not to work!!
2006-07-28 21:35:29 · answer #3 · answered by englands.glory 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A man once told me a wise man learn's from other people's mistakes. I thought "heck, I don't even learn from my own mistakes". Then he told me "A fool doesn't even learn from his own mistakes". I kept quiet. See, I might be learning afterall.
2006-07-28 16:22:34 · answer #4 · answered by BigRichGuy 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's easy to learn from our own experiences as other peoples experiences.
2006-07-30 08:48:33 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Everyone thinks...
That ain't gonna happen to me because...
Or
If that was me I would........
Or
My situation is different because....
blah...blah...blah
And
Some people just don't care. Some people think they are special. Especially some men!
2006-08-02 22:42:07 · answer #6 · answered by pretty_brown_eyes 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
the computer you are using was ...erm...learned by another mans mistakes in trying to perfect it ....just like virtually everthing you see, feel, use, and touch,......also most of the worlds beautifull structures, paintings,monuments, inventions..........not bad for cavemen eh ??.....oh yeah , he invented the Bra that those peaches of yours are in sweety.
2006-07-30 11:47:12 · answer #7 · answered by tally Ho ! 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
people have high oponions of themselves. They actually believe that if they were to do it, they would do it better and it will turn out for them. People are ignorant and arrogant.
Love us anyway though. :D
2006-07-28 16:22:27 · answer #8 · answered by Blonda 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
To perfect them.
2006-07-28 16:21:25 · answer #9 · answered by helixburger 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
because they are slower to learn. x x
2006-07-28 16:21:01 · answer #10 · answered by truelylo 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋