It is interesting that many who do not believe any more or others with good thinking abilities choose to remain a witness. I believe that the sunk costs are the reason… I will explain more below. I also think this is why maybe even the governing body or other decision-makers at bethel are so reluctant to own up to real truth.
In economics, sunk costs are past costs that have already been incurred and cannot be recovered. For witnesses the sunk cost are a lifetime of self sacrifice, foregoing an education, not reaching out to make friends with “worldly people”, being isolated from communities and society in general.
In the business world, we are taught that only future costs matter when making a decision. If one were to include sunk costs, then the decision maker gets biased by what happened in the past and may make a poor decision with regard to a future investment. While all are taught to ignore sunk costs, few do so.
Some suggest that the reason that decision-makers consider sunk costs is that we are inherently loss-averse and thus normally act irrationally when making decisions. This aversion to loss is likely what causes many to stay a witness even when they know it is not the “truth”. The aversion is to losing friends and family, to owning up to years of being wrong and admitting that one may have taught false things to others.
It is understandable to me why so many stay. The trap of sunk costs is one that affects many business leaders and it certainly affects those deciding whether to stay a witness or to go, to fade or to leave immediately.
For those of you who have ignored sunk costs - left the witnesses- and are making decisions based on a look to the future , all the best to you. What a courageous sound decision!
For those of you who stick around because of the large amounts invested - time, money, friendships and sacrifice – I understand and all the best to you as well. My only advice is to examine whether the sunk cost is influencing your decision more than you wish it to.
Zarco