Who Are You Going to Believe?

We live in divided times. People often stick to information that supports what they already believe. We often twist facts to fit our own ideas and stories.

In Plato and a Platypus Walk into a Bar… by Thomas Cathcart and Daniel Klein they use jokes to understand various philosophical concepts. One of the jokes that show the confirmation bias goes like this. A couple is making breakfast and the husband says, “Did you ever notice that if you drop a piece of toast it always lands butter side down?” The other says something like, “I bet it only seems that way because it’s unpleasant to clean up and you remember that instead of the times it lands butter side up.” The husband says, “Oh yeah? Watch this.” And he drops the toast to the floor where it lands butter side up. The husband looks a little shocked and chagrined and then explains, “ Oh, I see what happened. I buttered the wrong side.” 

Clearly, there is no amount of evidence that will change his mind. It brings to mind the old expression, “Who are going to believe? Me or your lying eyes?” That’s why we can see the same thing [think January 6] and some will see it as an insurrection and others a day of love. In the Age of the Heart it takes some time to consider nuance, other’s perspective, and then being able to get to the truth.