Do Actions Really Speak Louder?
Have you ever seen someone run a red light or stop sign? What did you think about that person? Chances are you had thoughts run through your mind like, “Jerk!” or “Where are the cops when you need them?” Now turn the question around. Have you ever accidentally run a red light or stop sign? If you have, what were you thinking after it happened? You were probably thinking, “Holy ….” or “I hope the cops didn’t see!” What is the only difference between the two examples? When we are the ones that run the stop sign, we know our intent is not to harm others, and that we just made a mistake. When the other person runs the stop sign, however, we attribute their actions to the way they are.