We blame other people's character for their behavior and underrate the situations they're in

the gist

People tend to explain other people's behavior by their personality and underrate the circumstances they are in. If a driver cuts you off, we assume they are reckless, and rarely consider that they may be rushing to a hospital or lost. We do the opposite for ourselves, blaming our own slips on the situation. Psychologists call this the fundamental attribution error, and it has been documented across many cultures, though it is often weaker in collectivist societies.

how it works

When we observe someone's behavior, the most vivid information is the person themselves, while the situational pressures around them are invisible. Our minds quickly settle on a personality explanation because it is simple and feels complete. Adjusting for the situation requires extra, effortful thought, which is often skipped when we are busy or judging quickly.

so what

The error shapes how we judge colleagues, politicians and strangers, often turning a situational problem into a supposed character flaw. Knowing about it gives a simple check: ask what circumstances might explain the behavior before deciding what kind of person someone is.

Hampi was once one of the world's largest cities, until its Vijayanagara capital was destroyed in 1565

the gist

Hampi is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Karnataka, India, with more than 1,600 surviving remains spread over 4,100 hectares. It was the capital of the Vijayanagara Empire from 1336 to 1565. Travellers from Persia and Portugal described it as a prosperous, wealthy and grand city with temples, markets and farms along the Tungabhadra River. By 1500 it was estimated to be the world's second-largest city after Beijing, and probably India's richest at the time. In 1565 a coalition of Muslim sultanates defeated the Vijayanagara Empire, its capital was conquered and destroyed, and the city was left in ruins. Hampi remains a religious centre, with the active Virupaksha Temple at its heart.

how it works

The city was built around a fortified core with temples, markets and water structures along the river, supplied by an extensive network of roads and waterworks. When the empire fell, the city was not rebuilt, so its stone monuments were left standing.

so what

Hampi shows how quickly a great city can vanish after a military defeat, and how a ruined capital can remain sacred. Its ruins give historians a view of medieval South Asia that few other sites can match.

fun fact

The name Hampi comes from Pampa, an old name for the Tungabhadra River.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia · text CC BY-SA 4.0

Image: Wikimedia Commons

source: Wikipedia ↗

2 min

politicsshortCNA2:01

False allegations about Singapore’s hand in Indonesia’s markets and a made-up meeting

from CNA

CNA Verify has found close to 400 posts pushing falsehoods tying Singapore to Indonesia’s stock market rout and to a secret meeting that never took place. Together, they drew nearly 12 million views, and some were circulated by accounts that appeared to be working in concert, across multiple social media platforms.

Here’s how the disinformation campaign targeting Singapore was uncovered.

on YouTube: CNA ↗