Ketchup Please

Ada orang cakap 'two heads are better than one', ada orang pulak cakap 'too many cooks spoilt the broth'.

Ada orang cakap 'Familiarity breeds content', ada orang pulak cakap 'familiarity breeds contempt'.

Ada orang cakap 'absence makes the heart grow fonder', ada orang pulak cakap 'out of sight, out of mind'.

If we look at this maxim, memang contradict gila kan. And yet people have been using these for ages because to some extend, the meaning is true. For instance, the second example. Which one is true? As we come to know others better, we tend to like them more OR is it as we come to know others better, we tend to like them less? Common sense suggests that 'more is more' where liking is concerned. On the other hand, though, research findings indicate that sometimes, the more we know about others, the less we like them. (Norton, Frost & Ariely, 2006) 

Common sense often suggests a confusing and inconsistent picture of human behaviour. It doesnt mean that it is necessarily wrong; in fact, it often does offer intriguing clues and insights.

People need to always feel better about themselves. That's why we tend to choose an explanation yang boleh membuatkan kita rasa better. We are predisposed to have this selective bias. That's why bila kita buat group assignment tapi end result dia tak elok, kita akan bagi alasan 'too many cooks spoilt the broth'. And vise versa. Kita akan pilih apa yang baik untuk kita, yang benefit kita betul2. In a way, yes we are selfish.