People often oppose social policies like affirmative action not out of principle, but simply to protect their egos after a personal failure.

The Takeaway

Political views are supposed to be based on values, but this research shows they are often just a psychological shield. The study found that individuals who were rejected from college were significantly more likely to blame affirmative action and subsequently increase their opposition to it. It’s a classic case of externalizing failure: 'I didn't lose because I wasn't good enough; I lost because the system is rigged.' This suggests that political polarization can be driven by personal disappointment rather than genuine policy disagreement. For regular people, it’s a warning that our deepest convictions might just be a way to avoid feeling bad about ourselves.