The After-the-Fact Sages: Hindsight and Cowardice

The collected excerpts offer a critical examination of those who possess **retroactive wisdom**, often termed "after-the-fact sages." These sources focus on the psychological tendency to **mistake hindsight for genuine foresight**, emphasizing that such critics emerge only after an outcome is known, avoiding the risk and uncertainty that define true decision-making. The text advises readers on how to manage these individuals, suggesting that one should acknowledge their "insight" without granting them authority, and treat their commentary as a form of **moral camouflage** or a way to restore their own sense of control. Ultimately, the sources argue that this type of retrospective judgment is a form of **cowardice disguised as clarity**, contrasting it with the genuine courage required to act with incomplete information.