Hanlon's Razor

Not everyone is out to get you

Image by Journey Nudge

Hanlon's Razor is a principle that suggests, "Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity."

In simpler terms, it means that when faced with a situation where someone's actions seem harmful or malicious, it's often more likely that they were simply acting carelessly or without fully understanding the consequences, rather than intentionally trying to cause harm.

This principle encourages us to consider the possibility of human error or misunderstanding before jumping to conclusions about malicious intent.

Further Reading

Hanlon's Razor: Not Everyone is Out to Get YouFarnam Street

Hanlon’s RazorJourney

Hanlon’s Razor - The Decision LabThe Decision Lab

Hanlon's RazorSketchplanations