Part 4/10:
An example is the tendency to believe in a clandestine plot behind significant events, such as political upheavals or high-profile deaths, because the alternative—randomness—is less satisfying to our storytelling-driven minds. The allure lies in feeling that one has uncovered “the truth,” joining a group of enlightened individuals who see beyond surface appearances.
2. Magnitude Bias
This bias suggests that large events must have large causes. Our linear thinking makes us expect that catastrophic or significant events are driven by equally substantial, often conspicuous, causes. This leads us to assume that a small trigger, like an individual's act of desperation or a seemingly trivial event, can't possibly lead to global consequences.