One of the most common misconceptions is that people mistake cause and effect as interchangeable. A cause is often seen as an effect, or an effect is mistaken for a cause. The most well-known phenomenon demonstrating this is the halo effect — a situation where specific characteristics of an object influence how we judge other traits. For example, you might like that person’s character because you like one of their qualities, not because you like the person as a whole. This misunderstanding is a common causal error. If you like someone, you tend to think everything about them is good; if you don’t like someone, you might overlook or dislike everything about them. It’s not that you dislike the person for one reason and like them for another—it’s simply how the human heart works. Gaining someone’s favor, therefore, can be an arduous and painful process. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”
British anthropologist Robin Dunbar was certain that primate cerebral neocortical capacity determines the number of social relations. He definitively established the limit of human relationships at 100 to 230 people. The average value of 150 people is known as Dunbar's number. In the world of chimpanzees, 30 is the absolute maximum. However, fewer than 12 people in the world can sympathize with me. My best friend is now reduced to 3 or 4. The relationship quantity decreases to the square root value and increases to the square value. Three or four of my best friends will eventually connect with people from all over the world. This is the same principle as when one or two virus-infected people infect the world. Focus on your best friend. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”