You can assume that every person you speak to is consistently rational, but don’t put much faith in that assumption. It’s a reasonable starting point, but if you recognize that the person isn’t thinking rationally, you may need to change your approach.

The way people perceive the world and themselves is often more powerful than anything you can say to them.

The human brain is wired for both survival and reason. The latter is capable of justifying many actions driven by the former. Never underestimate what people are capable of believing or justifying to themselves.

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