“The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing." —Socrates
Did you know that we spend 36% more time clicking on and reading internet articles whose titles express opinions that support our own? According to a 2009 study at Ohio State University, we greatly prefer to consume media that engages, rather than challenges, our preexisting opinions, especially our political ones.
This study reveals something quite humorous about our human condition; we are inherently inquisitive, yet predetermined to reach certain conclusions. We desire to be informed, yet exponentially limit our perspective with each “click” on Facebook or Twitter.
While the irony behind our motivations is comical, it is also concerning. I am currently teaching a college course on research methods and academic inquiry; recently, my class had a discussion on this topic that is worth sharing.
“The best writers empathize with their readers, show understanding for alternative perspectives, and flexibly navigate complex issues when making claims. How is this different from what we see on social media outlets?”
An unsure student raised his hand: “Everyone just shouts their opinions. Most of the time people don’t really know what they’re talking about. They’re just uninformed and want to be controversial.”
“Exactly. I think everyone can relate to this when they’re scrolling through their social media pages. But why do you think that this is? Why are we all contributing to this problem?”
After I asked this question, my students paused. They had observed that their relatives or friends tended to post misinformed or disagreeable opinions on Facebook, but had never stopped to consider why this was so common, or how we might be unconsciously participating in the problem.
Another student spoke up: “Is it because we want to fit in?”
My student was right, in one sense. We do want to be a part of something bigger, right? Oftentimes that results in mirroring the polarizing views of political parties or other ideologically-driven institutions, instead of pursuing our own. However, I believe that there is more to the reason why we tend to consume and regurgitate strong, unquestioned opinions.
The illusion that we have everything “figured out” is an incredibly attractive one. Think about that. Don’t we want to be perceived by others as informed, confident, and “put together”? Don’t we want to think that about ourselves? In an attempt to control an unpredictable, globalized, and rapidly changing world, it’s comforting to cling to our ideological safety blankets. In fact, it is so comforting that most voters continue to affiliate with the same political party that they register with at 18 throughout their life, according to a 2014 study by Ethan Kaplan and Sharun Mukand entitled “The Persistence of Political Partisanship.” Instead of allowing flexibility in political opinion, and revising with new information developed over a lifetime, we would rather cling to the unfinished draft of our premature thinking process. Admitting a lack of knowledge, or opening ourselves up to reflection, makes us feel uncomfortable and increases our instability. It’s painful to change our perspective because it fundamentally shifts the “stable” world that we want so desperately to perceive around us.
Unfortunately, ideological evolution, which we are so skeptical of, is absolutely essential for innovation and development. Some of the most influential individuals in human history have expertly shown the value of flexibility in opinion. St. Paul, a leader of the early Christian church, went from persecuting Christians to converting them after a life-changing experience. Martin Niemöller was a German U-boat captain during WWI who endorsed Hitler’s rise to power in 1933; however, in 1937 he altered his perspective and was imprisoned for vehemently speaking against the Nazi party. Similarly, F.W. De Klerk, the last President of Apartheid South Africa, initially supported the apartheid, but later released Nelson Mandela from prison and worked to heal the racial tension in the country. While these are extreme examples, they show the invaluable benefits of an examined and reflective mind, and of the necessities for continually shifting our perspective.
While strong, inflexible opinions give us a false sense of control and comfort, the benefits of continually questioning ourselves, realizing our limitations, and further appreciating the complexities of the world’s problems, are absolutely invaluable. As the Socrates quote implies at the beginning of this article, the more we realize what we do not know, or are incapable of knowing, the closer we are to a true view of ourselves. It is this continual questioning, reevaluating, and changing, that leads us to have better ideas about the world. An unchallenged perspective is weak, yet dangerous, and begging for revision. When we shift our perspective, or realize our incapacity to fully do so, we gain a broader view of truth.
If you’ve grown comfortable with your opinions, or if you have unquestionably held them for a long period of time, consider taking a closer look—at your viewpoints and at yourself. Has your thought process developed alongside your knowledge, or have you been treading in the same ideological waters? It might be time to lift your head from beneath the water, walk along the banks of the shore, and lift your head; a new point of view changes everything.
After all, you don’t want a student to see your vehement social media post, and raise his hand to call you “uninformed” as well, do you?
Note: A special thank you to all my professors, friends, and family members who have helped show me that I have to continually ask deeper questions in order to see the world more clearly, and who bear with me when I struggle to do just that.
