What is the result of rationalization trap?
Our desires, aspirations, goals and real results often “do not match each other.” It happens to each of us and at every step. To avoid constant stress, we have numerous defense mechanisms. One of them is the rationalization of the situation. In order to make it clear what it is about, let me bring a textbook example. A fox tried to reach some grapes hanging high on the vine but was unable to. As he went away, the fox remarked ‘Oh, you aren’t even ripe yet! Pay attention, the fox is not cheating, nor pretends that the grape quality was poor, but inwardly is convinced in it, his subconscious has activated a defense mechanism to feel pain caused by an adverse effect. As a result of this rationalization, nothing bad happened, the grapes remained in its place and the fox restored his balance after the failure.
Rationalization, therefore, can be useful – to help people (the “foxes”) to save their face. Unfortunately, this same defense mechanism usually leads to negative consequences because it at least hinders people objectively to assess the situation and, in this case, the psychologists call it a “rationalization trap”. The commonly spread Armenian version of the Fox and the Grapes fable is as follows: an Armenian girl rejects an Armenian boy, and after a while, he starts spreading rumors that the girl is “cheating on.” Again, I would like to emphasize, we take the case when the rejected boy is not just taking a revenge but was actually able to convince himself that the one who rejected him is a person with a bad behavior. Rationalization scheme, in this case, is quite simple. “If she has rejected such a wonderful person like me, so she is spoiled. Or, sick. Or, in fact, very ugly.” Here, the defense mechanism prevents both the girl who is discredited and the boy, who is not bothered to objectively weigh up his own pros and cons.
And one can fall into the trap of this kind of rationalization in the event of any failure. Poghosik get a “bad mark” at school (I do not know how this “bad mark” is called now), but on his way home from school, he is thinking not about what to do to learn the lesson better next time but how to justify himself first in his eye and then, in the eyes of his parents. And he finds the rationalization way, for example, “Comrade Poghosyan does not like me and puts wrong requirements before me.” High self-appraisal is maintained, the desire to gain knowledge decreases. It is known what excuses the poor dancer finds and as a result, she never learns to dance well.
Another story, this time about how the rationalization trap takes us in a direct path to sectarianism and bigotry. In the mid of last century, in the United States named Marian Keech saw in a dream that on December 21, exactly at midnight, it is going to be the end of the Earth and flying saucers will come from Clarion planet to rescue him and his family members. A few dozen people believed this absurdity. They quit their jobs and families and began vigorously to get ready for traveling with Marian. When the midnight of December 21 passed and nothing happened, the group was sitting perplexed experiencing the greatest disappointment. And suddenly, in the morning at 4:45, the “rationalization moment” arrived. Marian received a message from Clarion planet that there will be no end to the world, just because… their group sincerely believed in it. And afterward, this group began preaching left and right that they are the saviors of the world. Otherwise, why have they had a rough time?
People, especially groups of people, sects and the parties are reluctant to admit that their behavior is absurd, that they “have not learned the lesson well,” even in the case when they get a “bad mark” get. They prefer to live in a “rational” world devoid of contradictions, which somehow pushes into the circles of their imaginations (prejudices). It is human. I would even say, overly human.
Aram ABRAHAMYAN
