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Why You Can’t Help Believing Everything You Read

Submitted by Bob-45 on Sat, 04/28/2012 - 06:50

Daily Paul Liberty Forum

You shouldn't believe everything you read, yet according to a classic psychology study at first we can't help it.

What is the mind's default position: are we naturally critical or naturally gullible? As a species do we have a tendency to behave like Agent Mulder from the X-Files who always wanted to believe in mythical monsters and alien abductions? Or are we like his partner Agent Scully who was the critical scientist, generating alternative explanations, trying to understand and evaluate the strange occurrences they encountered rationally?

Do we believe what the TV, the newspapers, blogs even, tell us at first blush or are we naturally critical? Can we ignore the claims of adverts, do we lap up what politicians tell us, do we believe our lover's promises?

It's not just that some people do and some people don't; in fact all our minds are built with the same first instinct, the same first reaction to new information. But what is it: do we believe first or do we first understand, so that belief (or disbelief) comes later?

I liked it apart from this part...

Submitted by Citizen_beta on Sat, 04/28/2012 - 08:21. Permalink

"It may even be an argument for limiting freedom of speech".

I'd say quite the opposite it's one more reason why we need free speech to question the false understandings, idea's and beliefs that have been unwittingly inserted into our heads.

When free speech is infringed upon or restricted, who are restricted those at the pulpit? those proclaiming the ideas the masses adopt as true or those who question the accepted Zeitgeist?!...