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Brené Brown: why we’re so quick to blame

3 minutes

Blame lets you blow off steam, but it will rarely help you get at the truth

The reasons why people love to blame are simple enough: they’re seeking an outlet for their frustrations, and they want to feel in control. But how good is blame at actually helping us to understand situations, to determine causes and effects? In this RSA Short, the US author and professor Brené Brown reveals how blame has an ‘inverse relationship with accountability’, and ends up corroding relationships, stymying personal growth, and obscuring the truth in a way that dramatically hinders real problem-solving.

This video is published under the RSA open-access licence. For more information, visit the RSA website’s disclaimer and policies page.

Video by the RSA

Animator: Katie Davis

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Become a Friend for $5 a month or Make a one-off donation

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Aeon is a registered charity committed to the spread of knowledge. Our mission is to create a sanctuary online for serious thinking.
But we can’t do it without you.

Aeon is a registered charity committed to the spread of knowledge and a cosmopolitan worldview.
But we can’t do it without you.
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