A NEWEDITIONUPDATED IN2020*;Why is it so hard to say I made a mistakeand really believe it? When we make mistakes, cling to outdated attitudes, or mistreat other people, we must calm the cognitive dissonance that jars our feelings of self-worth. And so, unconsciously, we create fictions that absolve us of responsibility, restoring our belief that we are smart, moral, and righta belief that often keeps us on a course that is dumb, immoral, and wrong. Backed bydecadesof research, Mistakes Were Made (But Not by Me)offers a fascinating explanation of self-justificationhow it works, the damage it can cause, and how we can overcome it. Extensively updated, this third editionhas manyrecent and revealing examples, including theapplicationof dissonance theory todivisive social issues such as the Black Lives Matter movement and he said/she said claims.It alsofeatures a new chapterthat illuminates how cognitive dissonance is playing a role in the currently polarized political scene, changing the nation’s values and putting democracy itself at risk. ‘;Every page sparkles with sharp insight and keen observation. Mistakes were madebut not in this book!’ Daniel Gilbert, author of Stumbling on Happiness ‘;A revelatory study of how lovers, lawyers, doctors, politiciansand all of uspull the wool over our own eyes . . . Reading it, we recognize the behavior of our leaders, our loved ones, andif we’re honestourselves, and some of the more perplexing mysteries of human nature begin to seem a little clearer.’ Francine Prose, O, The Oprah Magazine