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One Question to Destroy Opinion
Failing to Support Beliefs with Basic Knowledge
How often do we see people forming and maintaining strong opinions on a range of topics, about which the vast majority of them don’t even know or understand a single fundamental fact?
Just look at politics, climate change and health care, the most polarising areas of modern social debate that prove the phenomenon I’m discussing.
We are the product of an echo chamber, where we develop our views out of hearing bad news for our own beliefs and on the basis of what our friends, family and popular media tell us to believe.
Political Opinions: Can You Name a Policy?
Think of the political domain. People often talk about political leaders such as Donald Trump or Joe Biden and many are staunch supporters. But when asked, they cannot name one policy promoted by the leader they admire or oppose.
A Trump supporter might oppose Joe Biden but cannot name even one of his policies, such as not adopting the American Rescue Plan. While a Biden supporter might oppose Trump but cannot name a policy of his such as the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.
Instead they will often try and defend their position with a word salad of unsubstantiated and meaningless drivel.
