You Dunnit!

We are naturally biased towards where we see the cause of things, and react accordingly

- Marc Wilson

Sorry, in advance, for returning to one of my apparent obsessions – Donald Trump. The Potus has been fulminating mightily and at length about his wall, partially shutting down the Government over the US$5.7 billion needed.

As I’ve just described it, I’m attributing the cause of the shutdown to Trump. Though he had proclaimed, pre-shutdown, that he would be “proud” to shutter the Government for border security, he has more recently blamed the Democrats – pointing the finger at someone else.

Depending on which attribution you make, you’ll have a different impression of the parties, and the issues involved – a capricious President seeking to memorialise himself in concrete (or is it steel?) or Democrat leaders Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi grandstanding with malice in their hearts?

Let’s say I think it’s really Trump’s fault. Why is he doing it? If I think it’s a reflection of his hubris, then I’m making a dispositional attribution to something about a person’s character or temperament. In that case, I’m going to feel justified in venting my spleen at His Orangeness.