Pronoia: Assume Best Intent

Tabula 8

Pronoia is the opposite of Paranoia.

Paranoia is the suspicion and mistrust of people or their actions without evidence or justification. It is the feeling that everyone is out to get you. Pronoia (researched by Fred H. Goldner) is the positive counterpart of paranoia. It is the delusion that others think well of one.

While any delusion is harmful, it is often useful to put on your Pronoia perspective to assume best intent from those around you as you interact with them (within reason, of course). As actress Susan Sarandon describes, "You just assume that the universe is conspiring for you, not against you... I think that the more you expect that, the more it actually works out.”

Adopting an attitude of tempered Pronoia is a hedge against learned helplessness and can help to give you more control of your life.

No matter where you are or who you are interacting with, assume best intent from your interlocutor.

- MB

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