> much of what we call “sunk cost” looks like simple carelessness & thoughtlessness

Politics make the sunk cost fallacy pervasive in business and government.

If you’re in management in most companies, you get fired if a signature initiative of consequence fails.

So the actual calculus is to either declare defeat and essentially fire yourself today, or risk a bit more of the company’s capital (not your own!) to see out the x% chance that the venture succeeds.