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[LordPezix]

Something is rotten in the state of American political life. The U.S. (among other nations) is increasingly characterized by highly polarized, informationally insulated ideological communities occupying their own factual universes.

Within the conservative political blogosphere, global warming is either a hoax or so uncertain as to be unworthy of response. Within other geographic or online communities, vaccines, fluoridated water and genetically modified foods are known to be dangerous. Right-wing media outlets paint a detailed picture of how Donald Trump is the victim of a fabricated conspiracy.

None of that is correct, though. The reality of human-caused global warming is settled science. The alleged link between vaccines and autism has been debunked as conclusively as anything in the history of epidemiology. It’s easy to find authoritative refutations of Donald Trump’s self-exculpatory claims regarding Ukraine and many other issues.

Yet many well-educated people sincerely deny evidence-based conclusions on these matters.

The interdisciplinary study of this phenomenon has exploded over just the last six or seven years. One thing has become clear: The failure of various groups to acknowledge the truth about, say, climate change, is not explained by a lack of information about the scientific consensus on the subject.

Instead, what strongly predicts denial of expertise on many controversial topics is simply one’s political persuasion.

A 2015 metastudy showed that ideological polarization over the reality of climate change actually increases with respondents’ knowledge of politics, science and/or energy policy. The chances that a conservative is a climate change denier is significantly higher if he or she is college-educated. Conservatives scoring highest on tests for cognitive sophistication or quantitative reasoning skills are most susceptible to motivated reasoning about climate science.

This is not just a problem for conservatives. As researcher Dan Kahan has demonstrated, liberals are less likely to accept expert consensus on the possibility of safe storage of nuclear waste, or on the effects of concealed-carry gun laws.

Interesting article. I always have a fear of believing what I think is wrong so I strive to be factual with my knowledge and opinions.

With more studies proving the "echo chamber" affect, I believe it is an obligation to stay open minded during discussions.

Forums like these are a breeding ground for such behavior which is why it is important to sprinkle information like this from time to time.

Debunk me if wrong.

source:theconversation

 

[Vicetrailia]

This world is full of egoistical pompus know it alls, and I'm one of them along with everyone else. Identity and illusion is still king.

 

[synchronicity]

"Knowledge" is the source of as much blindness as ignorance, for sure.

Being convinced of most anything closes so many doors. And most "knowledge" bleated confidently by those with maw interminably agape is hearsay and group think in the end with no direct experience backing up their defiant, unexamined claims as they collect yet another bag of drive-thru rubbish.

 

[iconmaster]

It's intuitively appealing to say that polarization is tied to media outlet preference, but "self-selected personalization" in news has been going on for a long time and the internet's filtering effects can actually expose us to a greater variety of sources: https://reutersinstitute.politics.o...uth-behind-filter-bubbles-bursting-some-myths

(Actually, news may have been more partisan before television news arrived: https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/usappblog/2...partisan-once-before-then-television-arrived/)

 

[zeorhymer]

"Academics" are pretty much useless in this day and age. They are so out of touch and pushing for things that don't affect them, that they need to go back in their office and just research.

 

[EverydayBeast]

 

[LordPezix]

"Academics" are pretty much useless in this day and age. They are so out of touch and pushing for things that don't affect them, that they need to go back in their office and just research.

How do you mean?

 

[MaestroMike]

That's the quote I think from the beginning of the big short where everybody thought the housing market was stable and then a ton of banks got hit and lotta ppl lost their homes, but some ppl made a fukkton of money predicting correctly that there was a bubble.

 

[TUROK]

In the pure context of America (but I'm sure this is applicable elsewhere), many people's identity seems to be intrinsically linked to their political leanings, which makes sense since politics is essentially what dictates people's lives.

So people get really zealous about these things because they essentially see themselves as fighting for their way of life, and that unfortunately includes taking positions not necessarily based on their merits, but more based on who holds said position.

Politics is a rigged game, though, and being at each others' throats about it is what prevents real political change to occur. Hell, that's what the people in power count on.