Hanlon's Razor

Tue, 24 Sep 2024 18:14:34 +0900

Hello! Today’s story is about “Hanlon’s Razor”

Today, I’d like to write about a concept with a slightly unusual name: “Hanlon’s Razor.” When you hear the name, you might think, “Sounds kind of scary…?” but it’s actually an idea that’s very relatable and gives us a gentle perspective.

Have you ever thought, “That person might hate me…”?

For example, have you ever experienced something like this?

Slow replies on LINE
Made eye contact but wasn’t greeted
Ignored when you asked for a favor

At times like that, you get anxious and think, “Could they dislike me?” I often feel that way too. And I get depressed all on my own.

What is Hanlon’s Razor?

That’s where “Hanlon’s Razor” comes in.

This phrase is originally “Hanlon’s Razor” in English. The meaning is roughly like this:

“Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity.”

…The wording is a bit harsh, isn’t it? To put it a little more softly:

“Even if someone seems to be acting mean, it might just be carelessness or inattention.”

It’s a way of thinking like this.

Who said it first? Who is Robert J. Hanlon?

This phrase is said to have first appeared in a book published in 1980 called “Murphy’s Law Book Two.”

The idea submitted by Robert J. Hanlon, one of the contributors, was used exactly as is, which is how it got the name “Hanlon’s Razor.”

By the way, the “Razor” part means like a philosophical tool to “shave off the unnecessary and think simply,” and alongside Ockham’s Razor, it’s a phrase used to organize one’s thoughts.

It gets exhausting when you assume “They meant harm”

For example, when your email is ignored at work.

If you think, “Why won’t they reply? Do they hate me?”, you just get more and more negative.

But if you really think about it,

They just happened to overlook it
They wrote a reply but didn’t send it
Their smartphone notifications got buried

Reasons like these are surprisingly common. And we often mess up ourselves.

The weird thing about being forgiving of your own mistakes but strict with others

For example, when you forget to reply to a friend’s LINE.

You might reply with a totally innocent vibe like, “Ah, sorry! I missed the notification~”.

But when someone does the same thing to you, you think, “I was ignored.”

This happens a lot. People are very understanding of their own circumstances, but it’s hard to see other people’s circumstances.

Assuming “malice” is actually a loss

When someone does something to you, if you assume “they meant harm,” you make an enemy out of that person in your heart.

But they might just be clumsy, or maybe they’re just overwhelmed with other things.

Of course, there are truly rude people, and it’s natural to be hurt when treated poorly.

But your heart will feel a little lighter if you don’t jump to the conclusion that “it must be malicious.”

That being said, I’m not saying you should just put up with everything

Please don’t misunderstand here; I don’t mean to say “You’re just worrying too much about everything.”

When something unpleasant is done to you, it’s okay to think, “That was terrible.”

However, rather than deciding “That person has a bad personality” or “They tried to hurt me on purpose,”

I’m suggesting that it might be nice to have the leeway to think, “Maybe they had their own reasons.”

So: Looking at things a little more gently might change your world

I think Hanlon’s Razor is less about “Let’s be kind to people” and more about a “Way to protect your own heart.”

When you sense malice in people’s actions, your own feelings get strained too.

But if you can think, “Maybe it was just a mistake, or they just didn’t have the capacity,” you feel a little more at ease.

It’s a way of thinking you can use for yourself in that way.

Finally: Please tell me about your experiences too

Thank you for reading.

If you have any stories where you felt “I felt frustrated at a time like this~”, please let me know.

Sometimes just putting your own experiences into words can make your heart feel a little clearer.

See you again!

Expression on kenji.blog