Where Hidden Stories Lurk

Filtered-out stories shape decisions everywhere:

• Business success stories ignore the thousands of identical startups that failed doing the same things
• Medical anecdotes spotlight patients who recovered after a treatment, while those who tried it and did not pull through go unheard
• Investment advice highlights winning strategies and skips the identical ones that lost money
• Self-help books are written by survivors who credit their habits, ignoring equally disciplined people who failed

In each case, the visible story misleads because the invisible counter-stories were filtered out.