It’s a phrase said half in jest, half in frustration. “Everyone is crazy but me.” You might say it under your breath after witnessing erratic drivers, baffling decisions at work, or someone arguing with a customer service rep over a coupon. But beneath the humor, the phrase holds a powerful commentary on how we perceive others—and ourselves.
The Illusion of Rationality
Most people believe they are rational, thoughtful, and grounded. That belief isn’t arrogance as much as it is a product of perspective. We have access to our intentions, our reasoning, and our inner logic. With others, we only see actions. So when someone cuts in line or makes a comment that seems irrational, we judge them based on that action, not the context or thoughts behind it. We give ourselves complexity and others simplicity.
Bias, Blind Spots, and Projection
Part of the reason we think others are unreasonable is because of cognitive bias. Confirmation bias, in particular, makes us notice others’ “craziness” while ignoring our own. Projection plays a role too. Sometimes, the traits we deny or dislike in ourselves are easiest to see—and criticize—in others.
Then there’s the spotlight effect. We assume people notice us more than they actually do, and we interpret their actions through the lens of how it affects us. If someone forgets to text back, we might take it personally. But when we forget, we chalk it up to being busy.
The Cost of Assuming You’re the Only Sane One
Believing that everyone else is irrational can breed cynicism. It can cause isolation, resistance to feedback, and a tendency to oversimplify people. Worse, it becomes easy to stop listening. Once we decide someone is “crazy,” we stop trying to understand them.
That mindset can harm relationships, careers, and even your own growth. If you believe you’re always right, you’ll never evolve. If you label others instead of engaging with them, you miss chances to learn.
Everyone Has a Reason
People don’t always act logically, but most behavior has a reason. Stress, trauma, pressure, fatigue, misinformation—these factors affect decisions more than we realize. That doesn’t excuse bad behavior, but it does explain it. Empathy doesn’t mean agreement, but it does create space for patience.
Flipping the Phrase
What if instead of saying “Everyone is crazy but me,” you asked, “Why does that make sense to them?” That small shift invites reflection. It turns judgment into curiosity. And more often than not, it reveals a fuller story.
At some point, we’re all someone else’s “crazy.” The goal isn’t to fix everyone, but to understand the moments when we’re blind to our own contradictions—and generous when others have theirs.
