We confuse effects for causes.  Or even side-effects.

The Bush administration and all the great and good decided in the 2000s that the way to convert immigrants and downscale groups into nice thrifty middle class people was getting them a mortgage on a home in the suburbs.  Because nice thrifty middle class people had mortgages on homes in the suburbs.

Computing technology is the basis of the new economy!  So lets replace textbooks with computers, that will make education better!

We laugh at voodoo practitioners and then look for more spittle or blood or hank of hair that will turn our dolls into real people.

Here is an example.

We have a cultural idea that heroes are reckless of consequences.  They are insouciant, devil-may-care.  So we have a sneaking admiration for recklessness.

But the insouciance of heroes is only a side-effect of their heroism.

Real heroes seem indifference to consequences because, like Christ, know their capability to deal with any consequences.

Or real heroes seem indifferent to the price of their actions because, like Christ, they are willing to pay any price.