When caught committing an indiscretion, the excuses pour out, none of which pass the laugh test, the smell test or the straight face test:

1). Almost never take good advice on serious matters to heart.

• We put a finger in the electrical outlet anyway.
• We will touch a hot stove just to see what happens.
• We are surprised when we get away with something we shouldn’t.
• We do it again, anyway.

2). Ignore the hazards observed from other people’s bad intentions, decisions or injuries.

• “What happened to them will never happen to me.”

3). Never accept or observe warnings of prospective negative outcomes.

• They just did it wrong or weren’t smart enough.
• What do these doom sayers know anyway.

4). Almost always try things we are warned are dangerous, unnecessary and sometimes deadly.

• Only the ignorant, stupid or unprepared will be harmed.
• If something bad happens it was always someone else’s fault.

5). The more we are warned against saying, doing, communicating, or acting against our best interest because of some future prospective harm the more intrigued we are to do it anyway.

• If we aren’t caught immediately we will elevate the level of risk and try it again.

6). Our training, our education, our wealth, position or status makes us invulnerable and invincible.

• Wow, nobody’s seems to be caring what I do or how badly I’m doing it. I must be right.
• Let’s try something even more risky.
• Always assume nothing will happen. If it does, double down, shift the blame.

7). My inherent smarts will prevent bad things from happening to me from my actions and decisions.

• Unbelievably, no one seems to be watching, counting or getting suspicious.
• Blame it on the victims.

8). Even if something bad happens, I’m smart enough to survive, overcome and succeed anyway.

• Look at what I’ve gotten away with for so long already.

9). People who get caught or hurt by bad decisions, actions and intentions are dumber than me.

• When will someone notice what I’ve been doing for so long, maybe never?

10). No one will or can catch me.

• It must be the truth, otherwise somebody would’ve caught the lies by now. Or, is it the truth? I can’t remember.
• What’s to learn? Nobody cares. The victims? It’s their own fault.

Copyright 2019© James E Lukaszewski

*James E Lukaszewski, America’s crisis Guru®, is the co-author with Steve Harrison of a forthcoming book on civility, decency and integrity to be released early in 2020. jel@e911.co