Very often we desperately want to be right and hold on to certain beliefs, despite any evidence presented to the contrary. As a result, we begin to make up excuses as to why our belief could still be true, and is still true, despite the fact that we have no real evidence for what we are making up.
Examples:
- Frieda: I just know that Raymond is just waiting to ask me out. Edna: He has been seeing Rose for three months now. Frieda: He is just seeing her to make me jealous. Edna: They’re engaged. Frieda: Well, that’s just his way of making sure I know about it.
Synonyms: making stuff up, msu fallacy