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nyabingi

(1,145 posts)

49. This is definitely true...

Reply to Ichingcarpenter (Original post)

Tue Apr 15, 2014, 09:42 AM

Apr 2014

...in many instances, not just the political. I think the fear of being wrong is the greatest impediment to people correcting their misconceptions, and that fear is probably more a personality quirk that needs more than straight facts to diminish it. The fear of cognitive dissonance is really strong when the facts go against deeply-held beliefs (e.g., religion), especially if contrary facts threaten to upset that person's basic mental framework. Question the sanity of someone's religious belief and you might have a physical confrontation on your hands!

If someone believes, to the core of their being, the US is essentially a force for good in the world (i.e., we intervene in other countries for humanitarian reasons or to uphold our belief in the goodness of democracy) and all of our actions have benevolent intentions, then they are going to fight tooth-and-nail to make that belief stick no matter what you say to them.

I'll admit to not believing in the official narrative of the 9/11 events (and no, I'm not some disciple of Alex Jones), yet I don't waste time relaying the facts of it anymore because to them, the thought of our own government being a party to something that horrible is frightening and their reaction is similar to me telling them Jesus didn't exist - fightin' words!

No one should be afraid to admit they're wrong about anything, and I personally feel gratitude towards someone who can correct my errors lol.

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Studies show that most Americans reject facts when [View all] Ichingcarpenter Apr 2014 OP

like the birth certificate crap JI7 Apr 2014 #1

Or Jesus riding dinosaurs. ErikJ Apr 2014 #99

Oh yeah, because MOST of us believe that, right?..It's featured at Harvard whathehell Apr 2014 #132

Or many liberals and nuclear power. fbc Apr 2014 #115

No Enthusiast Apr 2014 #125

Just because someone sides with conservatives on a single issue like nuclear power... kristopher Apr 2014 #127

DU is full of paid RW sockpuppets. Enthusiast Apr 2014 #128

Unbelieving Is Hard cantbeserious Apr 2014 #2

Esp when some people haven't reached the age Proud Liberal Dem Apr 2014 #65

Yeah, but that's just science. I don't buy it. postulater Apr 2014 #3

My opinion is as valid as your facts. DetlefK Apr 2014 #5

The study speaks of a "human tendency"..it says nothing about Americans whathehell Apr 2014 #135

It's important to teach critical thinking skills to people when they're young. eShirl Apr 2014 #4

The only way we can solve Ichingcarpenter Apr 2014 #7

And if the problem is The2ndWheel Apr 2014 #11

Then I suggest we read Shakespeare again Ichingcarpenter Apr 2014 #12

Bullshit! Orrex Apr 2014 #6

Orrex....... Nay Apr 2014 #24

You beat me to it. LOL. GoneFishin Apr 2014 #31

The study never MENTIONS Americans..It talks about a "human tendency". whathehell Apr 2014 #87

Well. You certainly told me. Orrex Apr 2014 #88

I'm simply pointing out the facts.. whathehell Apr 2014 #90

But I didn't express an opinion one way or the other. Orrex Apr 2014 #91

Actually, you did.. whathehell Apr 2014 #93

Ah. Orrex Apr 2014 #94

I really enjoyed this subthread! IronLionZion Apr 2014 #105

Ah whathehell Apr 2014 #131

So, confronted with the fact that it's not that important to me... Orrex Apr 2014 #138

Um, no..You see, a possibility you don't seem to have entertained is whathehell Apr 2014 #146

Yet you continue to post replies to address my unimportant reaction. Orrex Apr 2014 #147

As you do mine... whathehell Apr 2014 #148

But I didn't insult you by questioning your importance Orrex Apr 2014 #150

No, you insulted me by labeling me whathehell Apr 2014 #152

Blame my phone for its profoujd typos Orrex Apr 2014 #153

Whatever, bro.. whathehell Apr 2014 #154

So how did you do the staircase of shrugs in #91? Would love to know progree Apr 2014 #124

Simple. I tilted my phone 45� while typing Orrex Apr 2014 #137

In other words, propaganda works n2doc Apr 2014 #8

Not necessarily. OnyxCollie Apr 2014 #121

"The best argument against democracy sailfla Apr 2014 #9

The best argument against democracy... JackRiddler Apr 2014 #29

Plus one! Enthusiast Apr 2014 #126

Fake quote. And is a nation better off WITHOUT a vote? nt alp227 Apr 2014 #83

the second best argument shaayecanaan Apr 2014 #123

Thank you...It's important to note that the OP's headline is misleading, as whathehell Apr 2014 #133

Excellent article, thanks for posting. madaboutharry Apr 2014 #10

It might be, but the subject line is entirely misleading..It says nothing about "Americans", only whathehell Apr 2014 #92

The study shows a Human tendency to reject facts, not an "American" one.. whathehell Apr 2014 #13

Wrong....All the studies were on Americans Ichingcarpenter Apr 2014 #14

None of this implies it's limited to Americans mythology Apr 2014 #16

A perfectly reasonable hypothethis, and further studies could be done controlled for nationality. eShirl Apr 2014 #20

Further studies could be done controlled for nationality, but as they have NOT been, whathehell Apr 2014 #134

Do your own study to Ichingcarpenter Apr 2014 #23

It's basic human psychology. You think you are exempt? KittyWampus Apr 2014 #34

Thank you Ms Science Ichingcarpenter Apr 2014 #37

No. It really is basic psychology. And it includes everyone. Look Up- Confirmation Bias KittyWampus Apr 2014 #40

Yes resistance is there Ichingcarpenter Apr 2014 #43

No, but it's not just limited to Americans. Lex Apr 2014 #61

So this is side thread Ichingcarpenter Apr 2014 #62

Your post proves the point about Confirmation Bias. Lex Apr 2014 #63

Seems somewhat petulant to ask that after replying with "Ms Science" LanternWaste Apr 2014 #78

The irony neffernin Apr 2014 #118

Your subject line is MISLEADING and you know it..The study says zero about Americans whathehell Apr 2014 #136

This subthread illustrates a big part of the problem - what's a fact? oldhippie Apr 2014 #50

I'm trusting the scientific process naturallyselected Apr 2014 #103

That's exactly what I was illustrating oldhippie Apr 2014 #109

From the standpoint of Exxon or the Koch brothers pscot Apr 2014 #111

Really? oldhippie Apr 2014 #112

Your position is that of a "climate change denier" kristopher Apr 2014 #129

Hey, it's my buddy kristopher ...... oldhippie Apr 2014 #139

The position is what the position is. kristopher Apr 2014 #140

Obstruct action? oldhippie Apr 2014 #141

You wrote the words, you own the position. kristopher Apr 2014 #142

Bye now .... oldhippie Apr 2014 #143

+1 kristopher Apr 2014 #145

Why are you being so rude? Cali_Democrat Apr 2014 #81

The thing is, occasionally a study will find an assumption to be incorrect against all common sense. eShirl Apr 2014 #52

The excerpt you quote in the OP says this: Bluenorthwest Apr 2014 #45

Alert on me then Ichingcarpenter Apr 2014 #46

Thus illustrating the point you're making in the OP. n/t lumberjack_jeff Apr 2014 #73

There are stupid Russians, South Koreans, French, South Africans, snooper2 Apr 2014 #54

As is the thread you nominated. Ichingcarpenter Apr 2014 #58

That was out of the blue.. snooper2 Apr 2014 #64

IN my travels I find Americans are about the least believers in conspiracy AngryAmish Apr 2014 #89

That's intriguing. If I were to produce a study from elsewhere, would that reinforce your belief? lumberjack_jeff Apr 2014 #70

Her "assertions" are the simple facts of how a study is properly done, duh. whathehell Apr 2014 #149

News in the US besides the internet Ichingcarpenter Apr 2014 #30

Thank you. The study says NOTHING about "Americans" -- It speaks only of a human tendency whathehell Apr 2014 #84

Don't know much about research, do you?..Unless the study used 'control' groups of other ethnicities whathehell Apr 2014 #67

It is indeed very possible that this is a human trait and not specifically American gollygee Apr 2014 #25

Exactly, and I would disagree with the notion that whathehell Apr 2014 #71

absolutely florida08 Apr 2014 #15

Fact or fiction Augiedog Apr 2014 #17

We receive too much information and don't have the time to sort it all out. A Simple Game Apr 2014 #18

With Corporate control over the media, except the internet, truedelphi Apr 2014 #82

Fox News has made a living out of this NewJeffCT Apr 2014 #19

I think you are far to narrow in your perspective ... 1StrongBlackMan Apr 2014 #21

Report speaks to many here miyazaki Apr 2014 #22

Especially the climate doomers..... AverageJoe90 Apr 2014 #97

Advertisers discovered this decades ago el_bryanto Apr 2014 #26

Sigmund Freud's cousin Ichingcarpenter Apr 2014 #32

I was thinking about the Man in the Hathaway Shirt el_bryanto Apr 2014 #38

Then the only thing I can think of to correct this... Neoma Apr 2014 #27

It is a human (not just American) trait (perhaps a weakness). NRaleighLiberal Apr 2014 #28

I suspect it is a function of biological intellect... Demo_Chris Apr 2014 #53

This applies to you as well. It applies to me. It applies to everyone. KittyWampus Apr 2014 #33

I accept your call out....give me a link Ichingcarpenter Apr 2014 #35

Call Out? LOL! It's a basic human condition. We all do it. It's called "Confirmation Bias". KittyWampus Apr 2014 #41

You said I was guilty of it Ichingcarpenter Apr 2014 #44

You are doing an excellent job proving it yourself. KittyWampus Apr 2014 #51

It is kind of delicious how he's illustrating Confirmation Bias Lex Apr 2014 #75

So true...And it's pretty apparent pipi_k Apr 2014 #56

After we rise up and force them to enact campaign finance reform and publicly funded elections Dustlawyer Apr 2014 #36

The Comcast merger is very dangerous Ichingcarpenter Apr 2014 #39

Religious faith is the root of the problem. tridim Apr 2014 #42

Maybe... pipi_k Apr 2014 #57

Agree with this and it applies to more than just Americans maddezmom Apr 2014 #47

I found this to be decidely true LondonReign2 Apr 2014 #48

This is definitely true... nyabingi Apr 2014 #49

We use the phrase "...but I could be wrong" a lot in my immediate family. factsarenotfair Apr 2014 #55

I think that phrase pipi_k Apr 2014 #60

:) It does work wonders in my family! factsarenotfair Apr 2014 #76

It's a human psychology trait, not just Americans. Lex Apr 2014 #59

The Agencies have been studying this for a long time hootinholler Apr 2014 #66

I'm always right ...except when I'm wrong ...but we won't go there. L0oniX Apr 2014 #68

Mistakes were made....but not by me! YoungDemCA Apr 2014 #69

Trayvon Martin, anyone? Blue_Tires Apr 2014 #72

OH BOY.... another study for the gullible! whistler162 Apr 2014 #74

Most Americans are fully conditioned propaganda responders Corruption Inc Apr 2014 #77

More than others?...You'll have to prove that because this study does not and doesn't even try to whathehell Apr 2014 #85

I guess you missed the part about "cognitive dissonance" Corruption Inc Apr 2014 #104

I guess whathehell Apr 2014 #130

I reached that conclusion a while ago. nadinbrzezinski Apr 2014 #79

You can't fix stupid n/t albino65 Apr 2014 #80

Will Rogers once said florida08 Apr 2014 #86

That about sums it up. mountain grammy Apr 2014 #114

The problem is that most misinformed people rarely pay any consequence at all... MrScorpio Apr 2014 #95

This may definitely be true for some, factually speaking..... AverageJoe90 Apr 2014 #96

There are those that don't want to think. They want to be told. Thor_MN Apr 2014 #98

DU, unfortunately, is void of science based posters, anymore. HuckleB Apr 2014 #100

I have even had that happen years ago here on DU bluestateguy Apr 2014 #101

especially when it comes to saying women are as human as men? MisterP Apr 2014 #102

See what you want to see. Hear what you want to hear. A trick as old as time itself. blkmusclmachine Apr 2014 #106

And that is why critical thinking skills are so desperately needed. Rex Apr 2014 #107

One of the many reasons why the RW has used polarization as a central strategy since wiggs Apr 2014 #108

There is plenty of incentive for paying attention to facts. JEFF9K Apr 2014 #110

Which is what we in the states call "Fox News". Initech Apr 2014 #113

Rigid Thinkers Can Become Bellicose, Belligerent Bullies . . . cer7711 Apr 2014 #116

So I noticed. I used to know someone like this before he died. n/t deafskeptic Apr 2014 #119

Republicans have know this for YEARS.... Spitfire of ATJ Apr 2014 #117

A good example of how data gained from a study can be used as hyperbole... yawnmaster Apr 2014 #120

That kind of cuts both ways, doesn't it? ucrdem Apr 2014 #122

this is not a purely american phenomenon. nt La Lioness Priyanka Apr 2014 #144

This piece covers the issue very well: The Science of Why We Don't Believe Science. HuckleB Apr 2014 #151