Layer 2. Political Truth. Their Lies. Truth Part 3
Confirmation Bias. Why do we turn to others for confirmation? Learn about how political truths form from the herds. Which herd do you…
Confirmation Bias
“People would rather live in a community with unreasonable claims, than face loneliness with their truth.”
— Bangambiki Habyarimana
Political truths form when enough people share the same idea, and they all agree with the belief. Repeating something enough times can also cause the idea to form as a group truth.
In an article titled Say It Enough, They’ll Believe It; the author explains the “illusary truth effect.” This is a well-scientifically researched phenomenon that occurs in populations that repeat and hear the same assertions enough times that it eventually becomes a political truth. Political truths are often how cultures and societies are shaped.
Before the invention of written language, anecdotal stories were shared in these ancient cultures. As a result, traditions got passed down, and some still exist today. Eventually, these cultural beliefs made it onto paper and could be spread around faster. But written language was of no use to those who were illiterate. As education now ensures that most people must be able to read and write, the Opinion Revolution was born.
Since the invention of the printing press in 1436, books have made it possible to share ideas like never before. The Gutenberg Bible was one of the fastest widespread books to be distributed worldwide by 1455. As a result, organized religion became viral. Although some will claim this era the “Gutenberg Revolution,” in contrast, this was when the Opinion Revolution was gaining popularity.
Within 100 years, around 1543, the Scientific Revolution began resulting from the ability to document information like never before. The search for truth took on a new life. Truth was no longer appearing to be self-evident as new ideas against old rumors originated.
Today, with the inventions that science eventually gave us, we can now share ideas and opinions globally at the speed of light. As a result, the Opinion Revolution has taken on a life of its own. Information can now be repeated, shared, and then found, unlike at any other time in history. With tools like social media, online articles, and video, new sub-cultures and movements emerge at rates equal to the velocity of gossip.
As people exchange beliefs at hyper rates, these sub-cultures and social movements take shape nearly overnight. Rumors and misinformation are now exchanged at a pace we can no longer keep up with. This pace results in societies developing identity crisis issues. Some folks get left behind with constant newborn stories and have no idea which online revolution is the flavor of the day. For example, when enough people say a dress is blue and a large group of people agrees amongst themselves — then a political truth and social movement forms.
And because of the polarity of human nature, those who disagree about the blue dress can also develop an opposing political truth about a gold dress. Division then forms from political truths as one party demands the dress is blue, and the opposite coalition maintains it is gold.
Once a person joins a political truth, their mind then shifts toward a common cause. As the herd assures the individual is not crazy because the entire group sees a blue dress, the herd then promotes the idea that the opposite group is wrong. And then the attitude of; “if they are not for us, then they must be against us” mentality takes over. This mass confirmation bias group then vigorously demands themselves as right. So for the society that sees a blue dress and opposes the gold dress party, the single member of that group no longer acts as an individual but instead starts acting like a mob.
Members of a mob will forsake their personal interests if they all agree on one worthy cause. In this example, the blue dress cause eventually takes on a life of its own and is adopted by others who also see a blue dress. Then disagreements with the gold dress society ultimately can lead to physical altercations. Conflicts all over firmly held collective beliefs in their cause.
As the blue dress group battles against the gold dress group, they all still fail to realize that it’s perception they argue over, not objective truth.
But what’s more fascinating about political division is when they put their disagreements aside and unite together for another layer of truth. This layer of truth can end all the bickering and possesses the power to make enemies shake hands. As people can have many disagreements, there is a third layer of truth called “universal truths” that most people can agree on. These universal truths work almost like magic and can have political parties actually working together.
This is a series piece 3 of 9. Below is the next article.
Layer 3. Universal Truth. Society’s Lies. Truth Part 4 >>
Layer 3. Universal Truth. Society’s Lies. Truth Part 4
Figments of The Imagination. What truths work like magic and have political parties working together? Most people…medium.com
Previous article
<< Layer 1. Personal Truth. Our Lies. Truth Part 2
Layer 1. Personal Truth. Our Lies. Truth Part 2
Is this dress gold and white or blue and black? Perception and The Senses. Learn about how we lie to ourselves and why…medium.com
First Article
<<< The Truth About Truth; It’s All a Lie. Truth Part 1
The Truth About Truth; It’s All a Lie. Truth Part 1
Philosophy of Truth & Reality Introduction. What is truth and how is it better understood?medium.com