--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The psychologist Jonathan Haidt says many…" description: "\"“The psychologist Jonathan Haidt says many people who don’t consciously believe in karma still believe deep down in some version of it, calling it what..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b6/david-mcraney-10077_affirmative-action_the-psychologist-jonathan-haidt-says-man_1585861.jpg" --- # The psychologist Jonathan Haidt says many people who don’t… ![“The psychologist Jonathan Haidt says many people who don’t consciously believe in karma still believe deep down in some version of it, calling it whatever seems appropriate in their own culture. They see systems like welfare or affirmative action as disrupting the balance of the natural world…” quote by David McRaney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b6/david-mcraney-10077_affirmative-action_the-psychologist-jonathan-haidt-says-man_1585861.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b6/david-mcraney-10077_affirmative-action_the-psychologist-jonathan-haidt-says-man_1585861.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4b6/david-mcraney-10077_affirmative-action_the-psychologist-jonathan-haidt-says-man_1585861.jpg) > ““The psychologist Jonathan Haidt says many people who don’t consciously believe in karma still believe deep down in some version of it, calling it whatever seems appropriate in their own culture. They see systems like welfare or affirmative action as disrupting the balance of the natural world. Slackers, they think, would get what they deserve if the government kept their noses out of it. Their bad karma would come around to crush them, but unnatural forces prevent it. Meanwhile, since these people play by the rules, pay taxes, and sacrifice hours of life for overtime pay, they assume it has to be for a reason. Their pursuit of the good life can’t be futile. The rich, they think, must deserve what they have. One day all the good karma they are generating will lift them even higher up in the social hierarchy to join the others who have what they deserve. The just-world fallacy tells them fairness is built into the system, and so they rage when the system artificially unbalances karmic justice.”” [David McRaney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mcraney/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People rationalize inequality by believing in a cosmic fairness, ignoring systemic bias. **In simple terms:** We blame the world for unfairness while assuming we’re deserving. Key Takeaway Question assumptions about fairness. Themes justice bias social perception Mood critical analytical Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - political debate - social policy - personal finance - education reform Key Concepts just‑world fallacy karma cognitive bias Questions to Reflect On - Do you see evidence of systemic bias? - How does belief in karma affect your choices? A Different Perspective The belief in fairness can be a coping mechanism, not a factual truth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Affirmative action](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/affirmative-action/) [Bad karma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-karma/) [Believe Karma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe-karma/) [Good karma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-karma/) [Good life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-life/) [Justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justice/) [Karma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/karma/) [Karma Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/karma-believe-230577/) [Natural world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/natural-world/) [Social hierarchy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social-hierarchy/) ## Related quotes > [I believe in karma, and I believe if you put out positive vibes to everybody, that's all you're going to get back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kesha/i-believe-in-karma-and-i-believe-if-you-put-out-positive-vibes-to/) [Kesha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kesha/) > [“Karma is real. Everything that you do now, whether good or bad, will come back to you tenfold. It may not happen now. In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kara-king/karma-is-real-everything-that-you-do-now-whether-good-or-bad-will/) [Kara King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kara-king/) > [You can't get there alone. People have to help you, and I do believe in karma. I believe in paybacks. You get people to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-pausch/you-can-t-get-there-alone-people-have-to-help-you-and-i-do-believe-in/) [Randy Pausch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-pausch/) > [Honest to god, and I'm not just saying this as a cop-out, I don't believe in that kind of energy. I believe in karma,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kesha/honest-to-god-and-i-m-not-just-saying-this-as-a-cop-out-i-don-t/) [Kesha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kesha/) > [You Don't Have To Believe In Karma But I Assure You Karma Believes In You, Hopefully The Day You Meet Her Ill Be There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ciara-lee-castillo/you-don-t-have-to-believe-in-karma-but-i-assure-you-karma-believes-in/) [Ciara Lee Castillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ciara-lee-castillo/) > [(On Competition): Honest to God, and Im not just saying this as a cop-out, I dont believe in that kind of energy. I believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kesha/on-competition-honest-to-god-and-im-not-just-saying-this-as-a-cop-out/) [Kesha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kesha/) > [Cant have your cake and eat it too. Reap what you sow, practice what you preach. Good karma, bad karma. life is not fair.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/cant-have-your-cake-and-eat-it-too-reap-what-you-sow-practice-what/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [One who previously made bad karma, but who reforms and creates good karma, brightens the world like the moon appearing from behind a cloud.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/one-who-previously-made-bad-karma-but-who-reforms-and-creates-good/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [“Karma is a tricky thing. To serve Karma, one must repay good Karma to others. To serve Karma well, one must sometimes deliver bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-r-mathias/karma-is-a-tricky-thing-to-serve-karma-one-must-repay-good-karma-to/) [M.R. Mathias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-r-mathias/) > [“Good karmas are an illusion and bad karmas are also an illusion. Despite this, I am not telling you to stop doing good karma.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/good-karmas-are-an-illusion-and-bad-karmas-are-also-an-illusion/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [Karma moves in two directions. If we act virtuously, the seed we plant will result in happiness. If we act non-virtuously, suffering results.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sakyong-mipham/karma-moves-in-two-directions-if-we-act-virtuously-the-seed-we-plant/) [Sakyong Mipham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sakyong-mipham/) > [“The person with a good heart and leading a virtuous life will envelop himself in a flourished countenance, creating a favorable condition for the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quyen-quang-tran/the-person-with-a-good-heart-and-leading-a-virtuous-life-will-envelop/) [Quyen Quang Tran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quyen-quang-tran/) > [There is good Karma, there is bad Karma, and as the wheel of life moves on, old Karma is exhausted and again fresh Karma…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-quan-judge/there-is-good-karma-there-is-bad-karma-and-as-the-wheel-of-life-moves/) [William Quan Judge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-quan-judge/) > [“Where there is kashayas (attachment-abhorrence, anger-pride-deceit-greed), there is no religion (Path of Doing Bad Karma). Where there are fewer kashayas, there is religion (Path…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dada-bhagwan/where-there-is-kashayas-attachment-abhorrence-anger-pride-deceit/) [Dada Bhagwan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dada-bhagwan/) > [Never cheat on someone that is good to you , Karma is a bitch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kale-bell/never-cheat-on-someone-that-is-good-to-you-karma-is-a-bitch/) [Kale Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kale-bell/) ## More by David McRaney > [“If you neglect your personal space and allow chaos and clutter to creep in, it will affect you, and perhaps encourage further neglect. Positive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mcraney/if-you-neglect-your-personal-space-and-allow-chaos-and-clutter-to/) [David McRaney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mcraney/) > [“Do you vote? 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Men will buy products in an attempt to mate with the impossible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mcraney/women-will-buy-products-in-an-attempt-to-become-the-impossible-goal/) [David McRaney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mcraney/) > [“In 1965, a psychologist named Martin Seligman started shocking dogs. He was trying to expand on the research of Pavlov--the guy who could make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mcraney/in-1965-a-psychologist-named-martin-seligman-started-shocking-dogs-he/) [David McRaney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mcraney/) > [“In experiments at Baylor University where people were given Coke and Pepsi in unmarked cups and then hooked up to a brain scanner, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mcraney/in-experiments-at-baylor-university-where-people-were-given-coke-and/) [David McRaney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mcraney/) > [“Don’t put people, or anything else, on pedestals, not even your children. Avoid global labels such as genius or weirdo. Realize those closest get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mcraney/don-t-put-people-or-anything-else-on-pedestals-not-even-your-children/) [David McRaney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mcraney/) > [“In science, you move closer to the truth by seeking evidence to the contrary. Perhaps the same method should inform your opinions as well.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-mcraney/in-science-you-move-closer-to-the-truth-by-seeking-evidence-to-the/) [David McRaney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-mcraney/) > [“In the background, while you crochet and golf and browse cat videos, science is fighting against your stupidity. 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And affirmative action is not just something that applies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kerry/the-fact-is-that-in-too-many-parts-of-our-country-we-still-have/) [John F. Kerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kerry/) > [Without application of the mind; there is no drive for taking affirmative action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-mercado/without-application-of-the-mind-there-is-no-drive-for-taking/) [Joseph Mercado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-mercado/) > [Affirmative action was designed to recognize the uniquely difficult journey of African-Americans. 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Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) > [Affirmative action has a negative effect on our society when it means counting us like so many beans and dividing us into separate piles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kasich/affirmative-action-has-a-negative-effect-on-our-society-when-it-means/) [John Kasich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kasich/) [Browse all 231 Affirmative action quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/affirmative-action/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The psychologist Jonathan Haidt says many people who don’t consciously believe in karma still believe deep down in some version of it, calling it whatever seems appropriate in their own culture. They see systems like welfare or affirmative action as disrupting the balance of the natural world. Slackers, they think, would get what they deserve if the government kept their noses out of it. Their bad karma would come around to crush them, but unnatural forces prevent it. Meanwhile, since these people play by the rules, pay taxes, and sacrifice hours of life for overtime pay, they assume it has to be for a reason. Their pursuit of the good life can’t be futile. The rich, they think, must deserve what they have. One day all the good karma they are generating will lift them even higher up in the social hierarchy to join the others who have what they deserve. 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