The article discusses the psychological impact of the just world fallacy, which suggests that good things happen to good people and vice versa. This mindset can contribute to feelings of guilt and shame, especially when faced with tragedy or loss. The author reflects on personal experiences of feeling undeserving guilt related to a loved one's illness. While accountability can foster resilience, the author warns against the potential harm of taking excessive responsibility in situations of suffering, emphasizing the need for understanding and reframing our thoughts in the face of adversity.
I sat in my van with tears. "What did I do wrong?" Logically, I knew the answer was nothing. There is not a thing that I did that caused my loved one to have cancer. Yet, guilt flowed through my veins. It just felt true.
A just world fallacy is the implicit idea that the world is fair. The assumption is that good things happen to good people, and bad things happen to bad people.
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