Cognitive Scaffold

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MENTAL MODEL · M10429

The Man of Qi Fears the Sky

The Man of Qi Fears the Sky
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Version 1.0.0 · Updated 2026-07-30

CORE DEFINITION

A man from the state of Qi worried that the sky might fall and the earth might sink, and could not sleep at night.

SCAFFOLDING EFFECT

psychology

Reduce cognitive load

Low-probability catastrophe / black swan delusion. Risk management needs to distinguish between 'reasonable risks' and 'the man of Qi fearing the sky'. If all resources are consumed to guard against an extremely low-probability event like the sky falling (e.g., alien invasion), it is over-defense.

anchor

Anchor fast decisions

Metaphor for unnecessary excessive worry; also inspires moderate attention to potential risks, distinguishing between 'pointless anxiety' and 'reasonable warning'.

MINIMUM ACTION

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Source support: Explicit

  • link
    zh.wikipedia.orghttps://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E6%9D%9E%E4%BA%BA%E5%BF%A7%E5%A4%A9ZH · Explicit
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