9 PARADOXES about health, business, and humans

Introduction. When two statements contradict each other, and yet are true at the same time, a paradox ensues. Paradoxes are knowledge generators as we are compelled to produce new explanations to resolve them. Discover 9 intriguing paradoxes in this Memo! 👇

Abilene paradox: What is believed to be the group preference creates fake compliance and a universally subpar outcome. Families, corporate teams, and other groups commit to actions they dislike as they think "everyone wants to do it" - while in reality very few do.

Hedgehog paradox: Hedgehogs wish to huddle together during winter for warmth, but can't as they hurt each other with their sharp spines. Schopenhauer formulated this paradox to explain that humans too wish for intimacy, but can't get it without causing pain to each other.

Willpower paradox: Ditch brute declarative willpower - I MUST do X - with an interrogative mindset - Will I do X? - to improve your performance. Participants who didn't know whether they would solve problems did better than those who knew they would solve problems.

French paradox & Israeli Paradox: Saturated fats(SF) are thought to cause heart attacks. But Israel, with a very low per-capita SF consumption, has a high rate of heart attacks. France, with very high per-capita SF consumption, has a low rate of heart attacks.

Self-absorption paradox: Some self-absorbed people are much more psychologically distressed than average, while other self-absorbed people are much happier than average. Self-absorption as constant rumination is bad; self-absorption that raises awareness is useful.

Stockdale paradox: Maintain indeterminate long-term optimism - I will win anyhow, without a doubt - with definite short-term realism. Named after Stockdale, an American POW who survived 7 years of torture with a combination of never losing hope with never ignoring brutal facts.

Icarus paradox: Successful companies become victims of their own success when over-confidence, complacency, and over-specialization set in. They can't iterate on and evolve past signature products. This is why 66% of 1966 Fortune 100 companies were dead 50 years later.

Peto's Paradox: Cancer is the uncontrolled multiplication of cells - so bigger animals with more cells should've higher cancer rates. But whales have a lower cancer rate than humans. This is even more perplexing as taller people are at greater cancer risk as they have more cells.

The paradox of suspense: Thrillers continue to elicit suspense after the first watch. Why? Is the viewer feeling suspense - though there's no uncertainty anymore - due to his inability to affect the outcome? Suspense and uncertainty might be less linked than we think.