There’s a filter most people have in their brain. It ensures there’s a safe distance between the mouth and that part of the cerebral cortex that identifies errors in other people’s work. As news of the error makes its way mouthwards, this filter steps in and says, “Hold on. Is this really important? Will identifying this error do more harm than good? Is there any way this person can do anything about it, or will you just make them feel bad?”

You may be familiar with this filter because you have one yourself. If so, do you happen to have a spare?

– * –

This, by the way, is my reaction any time I notice even the tiniest error in my own stuff. You can imagine how I reacted to noticing the relationship between the doorknob and the hand in this cartoon.