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Little Find

Don’t trust yourself!

It’s hard for human beings to jettison their beliefs even when overwhelming evidence shows they’re wrong.

Rejecting everything that’s at odds with your beliefs – and sticking to sources of information that only reinforce your convictions – is one of the most common strategies for dodging the uneasiness that comes with changing your opinion.

What are the main obstacles to revising what you believe in?

  • Identity: your convictions are sometimes embedded in your identity, and they represent the truth in your eyes. Let’s say you’re a smoker and you question how dangerous cigarettes really are. Voicing your convictions loud and clear is a way of asserting yourself, even if deep down inside you know you’re on shaky ground.
  • Social ties: when we have very strong beliefs (even if they’re mistaken), it helps us find allies, giving us a sense of belonging that is more important than the truth. This is the social bond that blinds members of cults: the reassurance offered by a guru and community prevents them from seeing the evidence of unlawful practices.
  • Intelligence (!): being smart makes you more likely to take a stand and argue, even mistakenly.
  • Values: some discussions that seem to focus on facts are only the expression of conflicting values that twist reality.

Take a step back before heading off on a crusade!

To go further

This article won’t change your mind

by Julie Beck (The Atlantic, 13 mars 2017).

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Florence Meyer
Published by Florence Meyer
Executive coach, change management expert, and author. Constantly on the lookout for the latest management and leadership trends.