by E. R. S.

Created on: December 21, 2008

I believe first that the question of "Why we make mistakes" should be broadened. The answer depends on whether this mistake we're making is the first or second time we've made this mistake. If you're making a mistake for the first time, it could be because you didn't know any better. It could also be because you are trying to push your limits and see what you can away with. Maybe you know if you only make this mistake once, you won't get in any trouble.

Making a mistake the second time around happens for a whole host of different reasons. The most likely one is you didn't get caught or punished the first time, so you figure you can get away with it again. Another reason could be you were caught the first time, but you weren't punished enough to keep you from going back and doing it again. Perhaps you just don't care.

Now if you're making the mistake for the third time, you're either dumb, ignorant, or you've just decided you don't care. Take cheating for example. If you cheat on your wife once, it's a mistake, a willing one mind you, but a mistake. The second time around it's not a mistake, it's a choice. The third time it definitely can't even be classified as a mistake - you've just decided the consequences don't outweigh the benefits.

Let's say it's a different situation. Maybe this mistake is leaving your car unlocked while you go grocery shopping. The first time is a mistake but it doesn't register, maybe because your car wasn't stolen. Maybe the first time you didn't even notice. The second time is still a mistake, but a more careless one. The third time around - you're ignorant. You aren't paying enough attention. If you've made any kind of "mistake" three times over, you need to seriously consider changing your behavior.

Sometimes we make mistakes just because we're having a bad day. You forgot your keys, you said something you didn't mean to, you drank to much at an office party. These mistakes are usually just a result of waking up on the wrong side of the bed and never really getting out of that funk for the rest of the day. Everyone has their bad days, it's forgivable.

Since there are so many different kinds of mistakes it's hard to pinpoint any reason for all of them. Usually though, it can be brought back to general forgetfulness, carelessness or ignorance the first time around. If you do it again it means you didn't learn the first time, and if you do it a third time it means you ignored what you learned the second time. Truly though, mistakes are human and we make them everyday, and most are small and forgivable.

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