We sometimes explain away regrets by framing them as character shaping experiences. For instance, “If I never did drugs, I would never be who I am now – the strong, independent persons who beat a drug addiction.” Underlying this idea is the thought that the person we would be is not the person we are now, and that we prefer the person we are now. Some psychologists explain this phenomenon as a form of rationalization or a product of the cognitive dissonance of regret; in this explanation, there is a negative connotation of self-deception or delusion. This does not have to be the case. An alternative explanation is that we show partiality towards our current selves just as we show partiality towards our friends and family members. On an objective, impersonal view – like the psychologist’s – it is irrational to prefer our imperfect (regretful) selves over our (counterfactual) ideal selves, just as it is irrational to prefer our friends and family members over strangers. This analogy can be strengthened by looking at the justification of our partiality towards family members and making further connections to our partiality towards our current selves.