Avoiding Unforced Errors

This year has been especially stressful for many and with less than one month left emotions are still running crazy high.

Politics remains a mess, the daily COVID-19 numbers are somehow worse than ever, and we’ve entered the shortest and coldest days of the year. 

Heightened stress inhibits rational decision making. We go on tilt when we think we are losing and do reckless stuff to try to avoid greater losses. 

This goes right back to Prospect Theory and Loss Aversion for those versed in behavioral economics.

The upshot is - people are making more bad decisions than usual some of which will negatively affect lives for years to come.

These are the unforced errors with a 2020 asterisk.

So what can I say that might help readers make fewer bad decisions?

“Hey everybody, don’t do stupid shit.” 

“Yo people, delay big life decisions until the vaccine hits or until the Spring thaw.”

“Hi friends, snap out of it!”

The problem here, as someone writing about it with the intent of improving the lives of my readers, is that there isn’t much that I can say that will prevent someone from making unforced errors. If you’re intent on digging yourself in deeper, you’re gonna dig.

Sorry, I don’t have anything better for you.