Someone cuts you off in traffic and you immediately conclude they’re an asshole. Aggressive, selfish, terrible driver. You cut someone off in traffic and you had a good reason. You were late for an important meeting. You didn’t see them in your blind spot. The road layout was confusing. When they do it, it reveals their character. When you do it, circumstances explain it. This asymmetry is the fundamental attribution error, one of the most pervasive and destructive biases in human social cognition. The pattern is simple and predictable. When observing others’ behavior, you attribute it to their personality, character,...