600 million people share the same prediction each day!!! Such a miracle!!!

(Well, except that the astrologers around the world do not agree in their predictions - which is a little problematic. But who really cares - let's just assume that they are ALL correct).

I PREDICT that those who strongly believe in astrology will be annoyed with me. I should become a fortune teller!

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In social psychology, the above average phenomenon refers to a cognitive bias or an illusory superiority belief. We tend to overestimate our positive qualities and underestimate our negative qualities. As a result, we think that we are better than the average person, in a number of areas. For example, studies show that 93% of drivers believe that they are better than the average, which is mathematically impossible. The driving superiority belief was shared even by those who have had three accidents in the past 6 months!

Believe it or not, I am so much better than the average Greek driver!

Citizens of most nations nurture similar collective illusory superiority beliefs, which serve to boost patriotism and national pride. Likewise, Greeks believe we are the smartest, best looking, most competent, caring, friendly, hardworking, ethical, happiest etc. people in the world. Unfortunately, the time has come to realize that we probably are not above average in several areas, even those in which we are 100% certain we clearly are 'la crème de la crème.' I guess, if it were so, Greece would not be in the situation it is today. Unless, of course, the present conditions are due to external forces, such as the EU, the bankers, the system etc., which is another popular tendency - blaming others for one's misfortunes. Although there probably is a grain of truth in such beliefs, the reality is that Greece kept spending more that it produced for several decades.

One of my well educated friends argued recently that Greeks hold more University degrees than any other nationality (of course) - which appears to be a myth. He also believes that all Greek students excel in Universities abroad and become distinguished Professors; that we have the best air force pilots in the world - despite the fact that we cannot even drive cars, as indicated by the sheer percentage of accidents per year - and so on. Another friend claimed that Greeks are, or at least were, the happiest among all human species. Yet another popular myth. Even before the crisis, Greeks scored average to low on measures of happiness.

As James Clear stated:

Your political or religious beliefs are mostly the result of the system you were raised in. People raised by Catholic families tend to be Catholic. People raised by Muslim families tend to be Muslim. Although you may not agree on every issue, your parents' political attitudes tend to shape your political attitudes. The way we approach our day-to-day work and life is largely a result of the system we were trained in and the mentors we had along the way.

What if our system was biased? What if our parents were wrong? Critical thinking skills help us evaluate our sources, think clearly and rationally, understand the links between ideas, and solve problems using a systematic manner. In my opinion, developing critical thinking, ought to be one of the top learning objectives in all education levels.

The internet has the answer to nearly any question or problem you face or will ever face. Unfortunately it is also polluted by misinformation. Some can distinguish a credible source from a not-so-credible. Yet, strangely enough, others are strongly opposed to anything published by scientists, credible sources, or backed-up with empirical evidence. I guess conspiracy theories are to blame for this. At the same time, the latter group is happy to instantly accept and re-post anything a local blogger with no background on the subject writes.

Here what I recommend: Let us all check our sources prior to making claims, blaming others, or planning for our future. I think it is time to re-examine our beliefs, acknowledge and accept our deficiencies, and start working to improve the country and ourselves. Awareness is the first step for a change. Burying our heads in the sand or resting on our ancient laurels is not going to help. 

PS: Ostriches do not bury their head in the sand - another myth!

Cartoons by Kostas Papantoniou, from the book Frog to Prince: Think, design, change!