Bruce Jenket: Political identity more important than believing ‘truth’

To The Daily Sun,

Why don’t reason, logic and truth persuade people to change their perceptions? A friend with a psychology background provided this simple answer. When it comes to reasoning, identity supersedes truth. Here is an article in Psychology Today titled “Why People Ignore Facts”: https://tinyurl.com/y6ac2hbz

The article is more than 300 words but here is the opening paragraph: “Our ability to reason did not develop simply to help us find the truth. Instead, reasoning evolved to fulfill fundamentally social functions, like cooperating in large groups and communicating with others.”

That’s the crux of the great divide in this country. The article goes on to explain how personal identity determines how our biases cause us to seek media, friends and information that affirm our perceptions. At the same time, we avoid information that challenge our beliefs. As a result, truth is sacrificed for acceptance in our social circle.

Another revelation mentioned was the “backfire effect.” That’s when faced with undeniable facts, some people take it as an attack and double down on their flawed arguments. Mr. Veverka is an example.

The article’s solution was to make accuracy (truth) a part of everyone’s political identity. Specifically, make people accountable for politically motivated biases. Will it work? Only if both sides agree!

Optimists, like me, believe it’s possible if we can get over our fears. Fear of being wrong, fear of confrontation, fear of rejection by family and friends and fear we will lose our identity. Well, fear not, “The truth will set you free.” (John 8:32)

The mainstream media has fed their viewers lies that promote hate and fear. Healing will begin when they are held accountable for the accuracy of their reporting and the social damage it’s created. We are one nation under God. Let’s act like it.

Bruce Jenket

Moultonborough