We think we know the reasons why we do everything we do and believe everything we believe, but the truth is we don’t.

We sometimes behave terribly without even knowing we’re doing it. This is why there’s no belief so crazy that it doesn’t have supporters.

Don’t be surprised when people lie to you. People even lie to themselves.

Reminding ourselves about cognitive dissonance can help us recognize it in ourselves and be less prone to it. Thinking, Fast and Slow, is a good (and challenging) book that deals with this subject.