Let's talk about confirmation bias...again.
Yes, again. I'm circling back to this topic because we are in a day and age where the Internet reads our minds and recommends content before we finish typing, the bias is more than alive - it's thriving, heavily caffeinated, and posting hot takes on X.
We've all done it. We've all thought something - about a person, a political issue, a hot topic, a parenting style, a pizza topping - and then casually wondered into the digital world looking for "information," only to be reassured by exactly the right tweet, article, or YouTube video that confirms we were right in our thinking.
THAT is confirmation bias. To be fair, it is not a moral failing - it is a feature of our brains. Unfortunately, it's also kind of ruining us - the dumbing down of society, if you will.
The irony is your brain is really just trying to help. It's like this - our brains like patterns. They are always on the lookout for things they've seen before, things that feel familiar, things that reinforce our existing beliefs so we can wrap ourselves in a nice cozy blanket of "I knew it."
That is why, when you buy a red jeep, you suddenly see red Jee3ps everywhere. It's also why when you hear a weird word once and then all of a sudden, you're hearing it everywhere. It's called the Baader-Meinhof phenomenon, but you don't need to remember that unless you want to feel really smart at your next dinner party.
This is also why, when we believe something - be it rooted in personal experience, a story we heard, or something we inherited from family or culture - we unconsciously scan the world for signs that we are right. We filter out conflicting evidence like a bad odor. When we do run into something that doesn't align, we either ignore it or immediately begin the mental gymnastics of trying to twist it into something that still supports our worldview. This is seriously some gold kind of stuff.
Unfortunately, the middle is boring. But - that's usually where the truth resides.
The problem is, the more we confirm our beliefs, the stronger they get. Then we go out looking for more confirmation, which makes them even more unshakable. Our brain becomes a lovely little echo chamber with padded walls and no exits.
Worse still is that this isn't limited to "those people" or "that group." It is not a personality flaw. It is not a political thing. It is not an intelligence thing. It is to be human. It is us...all of us.
And then you throw in the modern media landscape, with algorithms designed to feed you content you'll agree with (or strongly disagree with), and news outlets incentivized to tell the most sensational, polarized stories - and it's no wonder we are all stuck in the mental loop of: Form Belief -> Find Evidence -> Feel Validated -> Rinse -> Repeat.
Nobody is selling stories of compromise or curiosity. "Two people calmly discuss opposing views and learn something from each other" simply does not draw traffic. What does is, "This one sentence DESTROYS the opposing view." (Spoiler: it actually doesn't.)
So, now what? Truth is, we can't change how our brain works. However, we CAN interrupt the pattern.
It starts by noticing when we are seeking confirmation instead of truth. When we are scrolling for "evidence" that feels good rather than grappling with something that challenges us. When we immediately dismiss a perspective because it doesn't fit neatly into our personal worldview. When we label disagreement as threat and the people who disagree with us even worse.
We need to be asking better questions. Such as:
~ What evidence might I be missing?
~ What would someone who disagrees with me say - and could they be even a little right?
~ Where am I reacting emotionally instead of thinking critically?
Here is the part that matters even more (and this is VERY important): If we want to live in a kinder, less divided society, we HAVE to start doing the harder thing - examining our own beliefs with brutal honesty. That means admitting when we are not entirely right, and yes, even when we are flat-out wrong. (I get it, I HATE to be wrong!)
It means remembering that no two people have lived the same life. Of course we see things differently - we've walked entirely different paths. But...instead of throwing labels and criticisms at people whose beliefs confuse us, what if we got curious? What if we asked how they arrived there, instead of writing them off as dangerous or deluded?
That kind of humility and open-mindedness is not only rare, it is POWERFUL beyond measure. It is what moves us closer to understanding, and to each other.
We can't afford to be lazy thinkers anymore. Not if we want to better ourselves, and definitely not if we want better for future generations.
We have to do better. We have to BE better. Even when it's uncomfortable. Even when we are questioning the parts of ourselves we've always protected. Emotional honesty is not weakness - it is REAL work. It is true introspection. And sometimes it might be emotionally overwhelming...and yes, that's ok...because baddies cry too.
