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People Are Not Evil, Just Stupid (Maybe)

Hanlon's Razor and "Salty" Cooking Tips

July 24, 2023

Hello again from Idle Impact! I’m proud to announce this newsletter is human-written! You probably never thought you would have to worry about that 😅.

While I use AI for research and optimization, this newsletter is absolutely written by me, a real human being, and I intend to keep it that way!

Now that that’s settled, let’s get started with a handy philosophical tool to make fairer judgments about others’ actions.

How you choose to interpret others‘ actions makes all the difference

PHILOSOPHY | MINDFULNESS | RELATIONSHIPS

Hanlon's Razor Cuts Through the Confusion

Hanlon’s Razor is a philosophical maxim that states, “Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity.”

In simple words, often others are not actively out to hurt you, they are just ignorant or incompetent.

Here are some examples of this that might appear in your life:

  • Your friend didn’t reply to your last text message. Instead of thinking they are ignoring you, maybe they just missed your message or forgot to respond.

  • A coworker gives you incorrect info that leads to a mistake at work. Consider they might have been misinformed or made an honest mistake, instead of assuming they're out to sabotage you.

  • Your spouse is distracted or not listening to you. Instead of assuming they're not interested in what you're saying, it could be that they're stressed about something.

There are also ways that Hanlon’s Razor can be misused - e.g. justifying or excusing repeated negative behavior, or avoiding difficult conversations.

However, overall Hanlon’s Razor is a great way to remind ourselves to have more empathy and seek other possible explanations instead of jumping to (negative) conclusions.

So the next time someone does something that upsets you, pause and consider that they may not have done it on purpose.

“Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity.”

- Hanlon’s Razor

Salt Bae approves of this message

COOKING | NUTRITION | TIPS

The Salty Truth About Great Cooking

Did you know that salt not only adds flavor but also enhances the overall taste of a dish? This means that salts help to bring out more flavors than if you didn’t use salt or didn’t use as much.

Chef and famous author of the cookbook Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat: Mastering the Elements of Good Cooking Samin Nosrat says, “Salt has a greater impact on flavor than any other ingredient.”

Here are some of Nosrat’s most valuable tips on cooking with salt:

  • Use Kosher salt - many chefs prefer kosher salt over table salt since it has a more intense flavor, doesn’t clump together so it easily dissolves in food, and doesn’t contain iodine additives

  • Salt the earlier - especially when cooking meat, salting earlier results in better seasoning throughout your food instead of just on the surface

  • Don’t worry about using too much salt - Unless your doctor has told you to limit your intake, you’re probably using way less than processed foods or restaurants.

Experiment with different kinds of salt and salting methods to elevate your cooking today!

Thank you for joining us today. I look forward to bringing you more insights and tips in our next edition.

Also, I'd love to hear your thoughts, suggestions, or any other tips you'd like to share at [email protected].

Until then, stay curious, stay patient, and keep experimenting!

- Kevin and the Idle Impact Team

Dive Deeper with recommended links:

Hanlon’s Razor

  • A great more detailed explainer about Halon’s Razor

Cooking with Salt

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