# What are we all wrong about?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-we-all-wrong-about/499308>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [June 10, 2009, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-we-all-wrong-about/499308 "2009-06-10T05:51:37Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 5

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**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\
**Post date:** [June 22, 2009, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-we-all-wrong-about/499308/81 "2009-06-22T22:21:01Z")

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> [@Alessan](#):
>
> What are we wrong about?
> 
> The belief that the Earth is something more than a tiny speck of dust in a near-infinite universe. Mankind has an overinflated sense of its own importance - it’s the only think that keeps us sane.

Message-button I once saw at an SF convention: “I SURVIVED THE TOTAL PERSPECTIVE VORTEX!”

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**Author:** ![Damuri\_Ajashi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@Damuri\_Ajashi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Damuri_Ajashi)\
**Post date:** [June 22, 2009, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-we-all-wrong-about/499308/82 "2009-06-22T22:58:14Z")

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Assuming that you are discounting insanity and juveniles, I think we each believe we are fair and reasonable (at least deep down inside).

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**Author:** ![begbert2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/begbert2/32/3357_2.png) [@begbert2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/begbert2)\
**Post date:** [June 22, 2009, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-we-all-wrong-about/499308/83 "2009-06-22T23:58:45Z")

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> [@Damuri\_Ajashi](#):
>
> Assuming that you are discounting insanity and juveniles, I think we each believe we are fair and reasonable (at least deep down inside).

Nonsense - I am overtly, openly, and perhaps maniacally selfish. And proud of it!

Though I _do_ insist on fairness if the alternative would be less beneficial to me. Does that count?  
(Wait - did I just open the door to be called a juvenile? I _am_ only 33 after all…)

And on second edit - I think that everyone else, deep down inside, is completely selfish too. Seriously. Seemingly altruistic people only do it because it allows them to be happier with their self-image than acting _overtly_ selfish would be - which is to say, the good things they do they do for themself.

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**Author:** ![Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/try2b_comprehensive/32/65_2.png) [@Try2B\_Comprehensive](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Try2B_Comprehensive)\
**Post date:** [June 23, 2009, 7:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-we-all-wrong-about/499308/84 "2009-06-23T07:09:17Z")

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> [@AskNott](#):
>
> **Kobal 2** didn’t claim to be thinking!

Aha! So as long as he doesn’t think, he doesn’t think he exists. As soon as he does, he’s fooling himself, but can’t help it.

Good one 🙂

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