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AngryAmish

(25,704 posts)

6. Unfortunately, our brains don't work like that.

Thu Jul 30, 2015, 08:34 AM

Jul 2015

Inconvenient facts ignored, we bend truths to fit our preconceived ideas.

The best way to think about our minds is to realize we do not seek facts, we seek to win arguments. As social creatures winning arguments enhance our social standing. And our brains really like social status. And social status does not mean all of society, just the circles of friends, coworkers etc that we are close to. Unpopular opinions reduce social status, conformity generally does.

It explains corporate groupthink, religious groups and even extreme such as street gangs and the red guards.

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That focus group on Morning Joe is the scariest shit I have seen in politics. [View all] kelliekat44 Jul 2015 OP

Who are they talking about? It cannot possibly be Trump: He inherited his fortune from daddy. DetlefK Jul 2015 #1

Facts, schmacts. Their opinions come from the gut, not the brain. valerief Jul 2015 #2

Everyone's opinions come from the gut AngryAmish Jul 2015 #3

"Everyone's opinions come from the gut." Emotions might, but opinions are SUPPOSED to be fact- WinkyDink Jul 2015 #4

That's not how it works in America any more . . . hatrack Jul 2015 #5

Unfortunately, our brains don't work like that. AngryAmish Jul 2015 #6

They may start in the gut, but they're supposed to be filtered through a brain.. whathehell Jul 2015 #12

LOL opinions are like assholes pocoloco Jul 2015 #15

I used that war to illustrate how democracy can lose and a rigid, highly regulated and CTyankee Jul 2015 #16

Reading that now. Excellent book! hifiguy Jul 2015 #35

I read it during the early days of the Iraq War and was thoroughly depressed... CTyankee Jul 2015 #38

And accumulated more wealth in the process of bankrupting FOUR businesses! Roland99 Jul 2015 #43

I used to think that republicans like these are just wannabes. That they think if they vote CTyankee Jul 2015 #7

Very thoughtful post. nt haikugal Jul 2015 #29

thanks. it's really all I can figure out about these people... CTyankee Jul 2015 #32

I think we've all been reduced to consumers who are 'sold'...it's all propaganda all the time. haikugal Jul 2015 #41

They didn't "make it" and they'll blame it on liberal policies bulloney Jul 2015 #42

In the 60s many farmers in Iowa thought they were THE rich. Not even realizing that they were jwirr Jul 2015 #47

"I want to be a billionaire too" C_U_L8R Jul 2015 #8

I hope the seniors in that group understand that Mr. Trump would make short shrift CTyankee Jul 2015 #9

OMG...Yes! whathehell Jul 2015 #10

That's how the Republicans get to 47 percent without even trying BeyondGeography Jul 2015 #11

^^^^ THIS. MH1 Jul 2015 #20

Well, since politicians fredamae Jul 2015 #13

I rec this but I don't watch cable tv madokie Jul 2015 #14

well, that's the thing. You have to know your enemy and MJ often shows them to us. CTyankee Jul 2015 #18

I appreciate that you that do, do madokie Jul 2015 #19

I got over that long ago. What I love now is how flummoxed Joe Scar is over this CTyankee Jul 2015 #21

I'm cool with that madokie Jul 2015 #24

I still like Howard Dean and Jonathan Capehart. They are regulars. CTyankee Jul 2015 #30

I found this place chasing after Dean madokie Jul 2015 #55

I stopped watching a year ago. Bad way to start the day. Laser102 Jul 2015 #17

Search diligently in such a focus group... Thespian2 Jul 2015 #22

Makes me think Plato was right. Democracies are a terrible way to run a country. Kablooie Jul 2015 #23

Just the twisted America version of democracy, others have got it much closer to right. Fred Sanders Jul 2015 #28

I was only half paying attention to this focus group but Grammy23 Jul 2015 #25

but this is just a tiny slice of the voting public. CTyankee Jul 2015 #27

I agree that this group was only a tiny sliver of the population... Grammy23 Jul 2015 #34

I don't see Trump winning in the General but he's doing well in the republican CTyankee Jul 2015 #36

I'm surprised that they were from ann--- Jul 2015 #54

But the tiny slice can decide primaries. Kablooie Jul 2015 #46

Most of the media is also fascist, and so is pumping oxygen to any front running fascist, just Fred Sanders Jul 2015 #26

Those fools are so malleable. They voted for GWB because he was one NCjack Jul 2015 #31

I don't think they care. They admire rich people. They think they must be smart. CTyankee Jul 2015 #33

And if they doubt that The Donald is smart Grammy23 Jul 2015 #37

well, as I said, just wait til they hear him talk about Medicare and SS... CTyankee Jul 2015 #39

This is indistinguishable SheilaT Jul 2015 #40

John Steinbeck nailed it so many years ago rurallib Jul 2015 #44

Corporate news loves money. Corporate investors love money. raouldukelives Jul 2015 #45

holy crap, they actually said, 'Trump is one of us' JCMach1 Jul 2015 #48

Serious question: are we sure it was really a focus group and not winter is coming Jul 2015 #49

Who is MJ? ann--- Jul 2015 #51

Some of the members of this focus group are scary Gothmog Jul 2015 #50

First he was born into money. onecaliberal Jul 2015 #52

How many of "us" ann--- Jul 2015 #53

If the problem is the fact he "inherited" his money (he has made lots if the money himself) then it Thinkingabout Jul 2015 #56

It's the old Ann Richards line, "He was born on third base and he acts like he hit a triple." bulloney Jul 2015 #57

What about Bill and Linda Gates, Warren Buffett, Magic Johnson, Steve Jobs, and Bill and Hillary Thinkingabout Jul 2015 #58

As I said about the Waltons, Kochs and Trumps of the world - Don't act like it's all because of you. bulloney Jul 2015 #59

Sam Walton made Walmart, his children inherited but he worked really hard to get it going. Thinkingabout Jul 2015 #61

Scarier than dead interns? Because it IS Joe "dead intern" Sacrbrough, after all. Erose999 Jul 2015 #60