Curse of knowledge
The curse of knowledge is finding it hard to imagine not knowing something once you know it. Experts often explain things poorly because they forget what beginners don't yet know.
In everyday life
A tech-savvy son tells his mother to 'just clear the cache', then gets frustrated when she has no idea what he means.
You tap out the rhythm of a well-known song on the table, confident your friend will name it in seconds, and are amazed when she has no clue.
Why your mind does this
Social life depends on guessing what others think and feel. Using our own mind as a model for other minds is fast and often roughly right, because people share a lot. It let our ancestors predict friends and rivals without needing to ask.
How to spot it
Ask whether a newcomer would understand the terms and steps you are skipping.
How to counter it
Have someone new to the topic explain your message back to you, and fix the gaps they reveal.
Habits that catch it
- Borrow other eyes
Ask someone with different incentives or a different background to find the hole. Your own blind spots are hard to see from the inside.