What if your worst enemy was actually a wonderful person?
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Picture a public figure you hate. Don’t pretend you don’t have any. Now imagine you unlock your phone and open your daily news feed...
Right there on the screen it’s confirmed: Every terrible thing you knew about this person had actually been twisted or made up. You had grown to hate them but turns out they are perfectly fine. The worst of the things you thought they had said and done, they never did!
How would you feel? Are you relieved or disappointed? Most of us would be disappointed.
I loath Donald Trump. But what if CNN published a massive series of articles and videos with new evidence showing all the clips I’ve seen of him saying things that make my skin crawl had been tampered with to make him look bad?
Turns out he’s not arrogant or a bully. He‘s never done a single sleazy thing. He’s actually kind, respectful, smart and reasonable. He’s humble, down to earth and cooperative.
I think I’d be upset for a month! But shouldn’t I be ecstatic? Wouldn’t it be great news if I was wrong and the United States actually had a phenomenal leader at the helm?
Our dislike of these people helps to define who we think WE are, not just who we think THEY are. Our ego uses the dislike and distrust like cement to reinforce our personal foundations.
And our ego does not take kindly to being messed with. So we become trapped by our cognitive biases. We seek out echo chambers. We only watch CNN to hear the truth and Fox for outrage. Or vice versa.
There is another, harder approach. It’s one where we change our mind as often as the available information changes. We hold opinions, but they are thoughtful and we hold them lightly.
I loath Donald Trump. But what if CNN published a massive series of articles and videos with new evidence showing all the clips I’ve seen of him saying things that make my skin crawl had been tampered with to make him look bad?
Turns out he’s not arrogant or a bully. He‘s never done a single sleazy thing. He’s actually kind, respectful, smart and reasonable. He’s humble, down to earth and cooperative.
I think I’d be upset for a month! But shouldn’t I be ecstatic? Wouldn’t it be great news if I was wrong and the United States actually had a phenomenal leader at the helm?
Our dislike of these people helps to define who we think WE are, not just who we think THEY are. Our ego uses the dislike and distrust like cement to reinforce our personal foundations.
And our ego does not take kindly to being messed with. So we become trapped by our cognitive biases. We seek out echo chambers. We only watch CNN to hear the truth and Fox for outrage. Or vice versa.
There is another, harder approach. It’s one where we change our mind as often as the available information changes. We hold opinions, but they are thoughtful and we hold them lightly.