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!
© Copyright Business Digest - All rights reserved
