Quote Originally Posted by Seamus Fermanagh View Post
Humans are NOT exclusively rational actors. Sentimentality, Agendas based on organizational politics, tradition... ALL of these influence decisions and should not be dismissed.

There is an old, but rather good book talking about some of these things Essence of Decision, an interesting analysis of the Cuban Missile Crisis by Allison that takes on the non-rational aspects of decisions.
Yes but emotional sentimental notions are harder to defend in the face of reality, and due to their nature will often be more strongly held despite them sometiomes making no sense so there is an emotional desire to still defend the indefensible long after it is a hopeless case.
That is the problem and it is that approach which people set themselves up to be able to claim they are being offended.