What this book is really doing

Mistakes Were Made (But Not by Me) is a serious but accessible book about why we justify foolish beliefs and bad decisions. Mistakes Were Made (But Not by Me) is a carefully chosen starting point for students exploring psychology & decision-making. It helps turn the question of why we justify foolish beliefs and bad decisions into a clearer framework for reading, discussion, and independent work. Rather than treating the topic as a narrow academic subject, the book asks readers to connect ideas, institutions, and incentives in a way that feels closer to real-world judgment.

The book gives students a durable way to think about why we justify foolish beliefs and bad decisions, making it useful beyond a single assignment or discussion. For students, the value lies in learning how to move from isolated facts toward a stronger framework. It is the kind of book that can sharpen how someone reads the news, thinks about power, or evaluates the forces shaping outcomes over time.