Recommended by
- Marc Andreessen: "Interesting book! 'Chronicles the experience of a UFO cult that believed the end of the world was at hand...'" source ↗
Summary
Leon Festinger's classic study of a UFO cult that believed the world would end, and what happened when the prophecy failed. Festinger's theory of cognitive dissonance explains how the believers rationalized the failure and became more extreme in their faith.
For founders
For founders, When Prophecy Fails is a study of cognitive dissonance and how people rationalize failed predictions. It's a lens on the psychology of belief, useful for understanding markets and teams.