--- title: "9 Counterfactual Quotes by 8 authors" description: "Browse 9 Counterfactual quotes by 8 authors. Discover the best Counterfactual sayings and thoughts." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cfa/robert-dallek-3456_certain_in-counterfactual-history-nothing-is-cer_748015.png" --- > [In counterfactual history, nothing is certain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-dallek/in-counterfactual-history-nothing-is-certain/) [Robert Dallek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-dallek/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cfa/robert-dallek-3456_certain_in-counterfactual-history-nothing-is-cer_748015.png) > [Look closer at the stress in your own life and you can identify that negative emotions are always built on counterfactual statements.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/look-closer-at-the-stress-in-your-own-life-and-you-can-identify-that/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/002/anonymous-1_always_look-closer-at-the-stress-in-your-own-li_52181.jpg) > [“you don’t get far in political discourse with counterfactual arguments that “it would have been even worse.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-s-blinder/you-don-t-get-far-in-political-discourse-with-counterfactual/) [Alan S. Blinder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-s-blinder/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/165/alan-s-blinder-40343_political-discourse_you-don-t-get-far-in-political-discourse_590207.jpg) > [“Most people can suppress counterfactual thoughts before they spin too far down a spiral, those who suffer from clinical depression may not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-schwartz/most-people-can-suppress-counterfactual-thoughts-before-they-spin-too/) [Barry Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-schwartz/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c9/barry-schwartz-19557_clinical-depression_most-people-can-suppress-counterfactual_1481352.jpg) > [“The fact that counterfactual thinking seems to hone in on the controllable aspects of a situation only increases the chances that a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-schwartz/the-fact-that-counterfactual-thinking-seems-to-hone-in-on-the/) [Barry Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-schwartz/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b64/barry-schwartz-19557_regret_the-fact-that-counterfactual-thinking-se_2007836.jpg) > [“Regret as a learning tool happens through something called counterfactual thinking—a dynamic with two razor-sharp edges.5 When we look back on a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-disalvo/regret-as-a-learning-tool-happens-through-something-called/) [David DiSalvo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-disalvo/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a1c/david-disalvo-3662_decision-making_regret-as-a-learning-tool-happens-throug_1610367.jpg) > [What I have learned from studying counterfactual history is that the law of unintended consequences always kicks in no matter how secure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gavriel-david-rosenfeld/what-i-have-learned-from-studying-counterfactual-history-is-that-the/) [Gavriel David Rosenfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gavriel-david-rosenfeld/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca3/gavriel-david-rosenfeld-44152_consequence_what-i-have-learned-from-studying-counte_1040267.jpg) > [“If people literally applied counterfactual religious principles and prescriptions to factual navigation of everyday environments they would likely be either dead or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-atran/if-people-literally-applied-counterfactual-religious-principles-and/) [Scott Atran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-atran/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e6f/scott-atran-26630_counterfactual_if-people-literally-applied-counterfactu_2820875.jpg) > [“counterfactual emotions,” or the feelings that spurred people’s minds to spin alternative realities in order to avoid the pain of the emotion.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-lewis/counterfactual-emotions-or-the-feelings-that-spurred-people-s-minds/) [Michael Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-lewis/) [Image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/57e/michael-lewis-705_psychology_counterfactual-emotions-or-the-feelings_2186353.png) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "ItemList", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/counterfactual/#itemlist", "name": "Counterfactual Quotes", "numberOfItems": 9, "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "In counterfactual history, nothing is certain.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Robert Dallek" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-dallek/in-counterfactual-history-nothing-is-certain/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cfa/robert-dallek-3456_certain_in-counterfactual-history-nothing-is-cer_748015.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cfa/robert-dallek-3456_certain_in-counterfactual-history-nothing-is-cer_748015.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cfa/robert-dallek-3456_certain_in-counterfactual-history-nothing-is-cer_748015.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“In counterfactual history, nothing is certain.” — Robert Dallek", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Look closer at the stress in your own life and you can identify that negative emotions are always built on counterfactual statements.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Anonymous" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/look-closer-at-the-stress-in-your-own-life-and-you-can-identify-that/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/002/anonymous-1_always_look-closer-at-the-stress-in-your-own-li_52181.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/002/anonymous-1_always_look-closer-at-the-stress-in-your-own-li_52181.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/002/anonymous-1_always_look-closer-at-the-stress-in-your-own-li_52181.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Look closer at the stress in your own life and you can identify that negative emotions are always built on…” — Anonymous", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“you don’t get far in political discourse with counterfactual arguments that “it would have been even worse.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Alan S. Blinder" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-s-blinder/you-don-t-get-far-in-political-discourse-with-counterfactual/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/165/alan-s-blinder-40343_political-discourse_you-don-t-get-far-in-political-discourse_590207.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/165/alan-s-blinder-40343_political-discourse_you-don-t-get-far-in-political-discourse_590207.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/165/alan-s-blinder-40343_political-discourse_you-don-t-get-far-in-political-discourse_590207.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“you don’t get far in political discourse with counterfactual arguments that “it would have been even worse.” — Alan S. Blinder", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Most people can suppress counterfactual thoughts before they spin too far down a spiral, those who suffer from clinical depression may not be able to. When a student who didn't study much does badly on an exam, he could take responsibility for not having studied more. But the exam could have been easier, or more focused on the material the student knew.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Barry Schwartz" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-schwartz/most-people-can-suppress-counterfactual-thoughts-before-they-spin-too/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c9/barry-schwartz-19557_clinical-depression_most-people-can-suppress-counterfactual_1481352.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c9/barry-schwartz-19557_clinical-depression_most-people-can-suppress-counterfactual_1481352.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1c9/barry-schwartz-19557_clinical-depression_most-people-can-suppress-counterfactual_1481352.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Most people can suppress counterfactual thoughts before they spin too far down a spiral, those who suffer…” — Barry Schwartz", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 5, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The fact that counterfactual thinking seems to hone in on the controllable aspects of a situation only increases the chances that a person will experience regret when engaging in counterfactual thinking.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Barry Schwartz" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-schwartz/the-fact-that-counterfactual-thinking-seems-to-hone-in-on-the/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b64/barry-schwartz-19557_regret_the-fact-that-counterfactual-thinking-se_2007836.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b64/barry-schwartz-19557_regret_the-fact-that-counterfactual-thinking-se_2007836.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b64/barry-schwartz-19557_regret_the-fact-that-counterfactual-thinking-se_2007836.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The fact that counterfactual thinking seems to hone in on the controllable aspects of a situation only…” — Barry Schwartz", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 6, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Regret as a learning tool happens through something called counterfactual thinking—a dynamic with two razor-sharp edges.5 When we look back on a decision and think, If I had done A instead of B, then I wouldn't have to deal with horrible C, we are engaging in counterfactual thinking.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "David DiSalvo" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-disalvo/regret-as-a-learning-tool-happens-through-something-called/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a1c/david-disalvo-3662_decision-making_regret-as-a-learning-tool-happens-throug_1610367.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a1c/david-disalvo-3662_decision-making_regret-as-a-learning-tool-happens-throug_1610367.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a1c/david-disalvo-3662_decision-making_regret-as-a-learning-tool-happens-throug_1610367.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Regret as a learning tool happens through something called counterfactual thinking—a dynamic with two…” — David DiSalvo", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 7, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "What I have learned from studying counterfactual history is that the law of unintended consequences always kicks in no matter how secure you are in your plan. We have to live with the historical record as it is, like it or not.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Gavriel David Rosenfeld" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gavriel-david-rosenfeld/what-i-have-learned-from-studying-counterfactual-history-is-that-the/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca3/gavriel-david-rosenfeld-44152_consequence_what-i-have-learned-from-studying-counte_1040267.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca3/gavriel-david-rosenfeld-44152_consequence_what-i-have-learned-from-studying-counte_1040267.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ca3/gavriel-david-rosenfeld-44152_consequence_what-i-have-learned-from-studying-counte_1040267.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“What I have learned from studying counterfactual history is that the law of unintended consequences always…” — Gavriel David Rosenfeld", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 8, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“If people literally applied counterfactual religious principles and prescriptions to factual navigation of everyday environments they would likely be either dead or in the afterlife in very short order—probably in too short an order for individuals to reproduce and the species to survive. Imagine that you could suspend the known physical and biological laws of the universe with a prayer (or, for those who are less institutionalized, by crossing your fingers). The trick is in knowing how and when to suspend factual belief without countermanding the facts and compromising survival. But why take the risk of neglecting the facts at all, even in exceptional circumstances? As”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Scott Atran" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-atran/if-people-literally-applied-counterfactual-religious-principles-and/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e6f/scott-atran-26630_counterfactual_if-people-literally-applied-counterfactu_2820875.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e6f/scott-atran-26630_counterfactual_if-people-literally-applied-counterfactu_2820875.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e6f/scott-atran-26630_counterfactual_if-people-literally-applied-counterfactu_2820875.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If people literally applied counterfactual religious principles and prescriptions to factual navigation of…” — Scott Atran", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 9, "item": { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“counterfactual emotions,” or the feelings that spurred people’s minds to spin alternative realities in order to avoid the pain of the emotion. Regret was the most obvious counterfactual emotion, but frustration and envy shared regret’s essential trait. “The emotions of unrealized possibility,” Danny called them, in a letter to Amos. These emotions could be described using simple math. Their intensity, Danny wrote, was a product of two variables: “the desirability of the alternative” and “the possibility of the alternative.” Experiences that led to regret and frustration were not always easy to undo. Frustrated people needed to undo some feature of their environment, while regretful people needed to undo their own actions. “The basic rules of undoing, however, apply alike to frustration and regret,” he wrote. “They require a more or less plausible path leading to the alternative state.” Envy was different. Envy did not require a person to exert the slightest effort to imagine a path to the alternative state. “The availability of the alternative appears to be controlled by a relation of similarity between oneself and the target of envy. To experience envy, it is sufficient to have a vivid image of oneself in another person’s shoes; it is not necessary to have a plausible scenario of how one came to occupy those shoes.” Envy, in some strange way, required no imagination. Danny spent the”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Michael Lewis" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-lewis/counterfactual-emotions-or-the-feelings-that-spurred-people-s-minds/", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/57e/michael-lewis-705_psychology_counterfactual-emotions-or-the-feelings_2186353.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/57e/michael-lewis-705_psychology_counterfactual-emotions-or-the-feelings_2186353.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/57e/michael-lewis-705_psychology_counterfactual-emotions-or-the-feelings_2186353.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“counterfactual emotions,” or the feelings that spurred people’s minds to spin alternative realities in order…” — Michael Lewis", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } } } ] }, { "@type": "CollectionPage", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/counterfactual/#webpage", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/counterfactual/", "name": "Counterfactual Quotes", "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "mainEntity": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/counterfactual/#itemlist" }, "primaryImageOfPage": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cfa/robert-dallek-3456_certain_in-counterfactual-history-nothing-is-cer_748015.png" }, "description": "Browse 9 Counterfactual quotes by 8 authors. Discover the best Counterfactual sayings and thoughts.", "breadcrumb": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/counterfactual/#breadcrumb" } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/counterfactual/#breadcrumb", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Topics", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/categories/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Counterfactual Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/counterfactual/" } ] }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```