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The "End Of History" Illusion - Bence Nanay

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TEDEd Animation

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Time and time again, we’ve failed to predict that the technologies of the present will change the future. Recently, a similar pattern was discovered in our individual lives: we’re unable to predict change in ourselves. But is there anything wrong with assuming that who we are now is who we will continue to be? Bence Nanay details the consequences of seeing ourselves as finished products.

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Additional Resources for you to Explore


Here is the (somewhat technical) original End of History Illusion paper.

On the wider consequences of the End of History Illusion, see Bence Nanay’s ‘Know thyself!’ is not just silly advice – it’s positively dangerous.

Here is a TED talk on the End of History Illusion by one of the co-authors of the original paper, Dan Gilbert.

For a nice, somewhat popularizing write-up of the End of History Illusion, check out this piece in the New York Times.

The Huffington Post also has a very brief write-up of the End of History Illusion.

The End of History Illusion, unlike many other social psychology experiments, did replicate (that is, other labs found the same results). Here is one successful replication.

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TED-Ed Animations feature the words and ideas of educators brought to life by professional animators. Are you an educator or animator interested in creating a TED-Ed Animation? Nominate yourself here »

Meet The Creators

  • Educator Bence Nanay
  • Director John R. Dilworth
  • Narrator Addison Anderson
  • Sound Designer William Hohauser
  • Content Producer Gerta Xhelo
  • Editorial Producer Alex Rosenthal
  • Associate Producer Bethany Cutmore-Scott
  • Associate Editorial Producer Elizabeth Cox
  • Script Editor Alex Gendler
  • Fact-Checker Francisco Diez

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