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We all like to think that we are rational beings. We carefully weigh evidence, consider different viewpoints, and come to reasonable conclusions. However, the uncomfortable truth is that we are not. We often act like walking, talking confirmation machines.
For example, you’re scrolling your news feed and see two headlines about the economy – one suggesting the market is headed for a record high and the other warns about impending doom – which headline are you most likely to click? If you are like most people, you’ll choos the headline that aligns with your existing beliefs.
This is confirmation bias in action. It is our brain’s sneaky habit of embracing information that supports our existing beliefs while turning our nose up to anything that contradicts them. Today’s news landscape isn’t just a quirk, it’s reshaping how we understand reality and forming our own truths.
Think about your favorite news source and be honest with yourself. Did you choose them because they are the most accurate? Did you choose them because the stories align with your truth? We’ve created safe spaces in our media consumption, digital bubbles where our beliefs are constantly reinforced rather than challenged.
The problem runs deeper than just picking a news source. Once we’ve chosen our preferred outlets, we become experts at mental gymnastics. We will scrutinize and minimize every detail of a story that contradicts our beliefs, looking for and highlighting any possible flaw. On the other hand, when an article supports our existing beliefs, we accept it with open arms and a big smile and possibly share it without getting past the headline.
Social media has turned this natural tendency into an art form. These platforms use sophisticated algorithms to feed us more of what we engage with creating an ecosystem where our biases don’t just survive but thrive. Causing your window of a world to be a mirror of your own truth.
The consequences go beyond just being misinformed. We become polarized by our mirror. We start seeing people who disagree with us as more than wrong but irrational and malicious. The middle ground disappears being replaced by an us-versus-them mentality making meaningful discussion impossible.
However, just knowing about confirmation bias does not make us immune. In fact, the smarter we think we are the more likely we are to rationalize our beliefs. So, what can we do about it?
First, we need to accept that we are not as objective as we think we are. This isn’t about intelligence or education it’s about being human. Our brains have evolved to make quick decisions based on limited information. In many cases it has served us well. Today we are flooded with information, and these mental shortcuts are causing us to drown.
The real work starts with intentionally seeking out viewpoints that challenge our own. This doesn’t mean giving equal weight to every opinion, but it does mean approaching different perspectives with genuine curiosity rather than immediate dismissal. Try reading articles from different news sources that make you uncomfortable. Pay attention to that instinct to immediately reject the information that doesn’t align with your truth.
Most importantly, we need to get comfortable with uncertainty. The world doesn’t fit into the neat boxes we try to force them into. Sometimes, opposing viewpoints contain elements of truth. Sometimes the answer isn’t in black and white. And that is okay.
I urge you to ask yourself the next time you’re reading the news to stop and ask yourself: Am I reading this because it’s true or because it confirms what I want to be true? You might not like the answer, it may make you uncomfortable, but that is where real understanding begins.
After all, the first step to overcoming confirmation bias is being self-aware enough to acknowledge that you have it. We all have it. The irony that you probably read this article because you already believed in confirmation bias. We’re all works in progress.
Dylan Lippe
