Fact vs. Opinion: How to Define Reality in the Era of Fake News
“The first responsibility of a leader is to define reality.” — Max DePree
A 2018 study finally confirmed it: Your brain does not distinguish between facts and opinions it already agrees with.
This phenomenon is called “involuntary opinion confirmation,” and it explains why it’s so hard to change some folks’ minds — even when presented with concrete scientific evidence that rebukes their opinions.
It explains why you cannot mention climate change without your one weird uncle ruining Christmas dinner, and why even some of the most politically-informed among us continue to like, share, and comment on “fake news” articles touting what could only be objectively described as nonsense.
However, the more I find myself trying to convince seemingly inconvincible people of objective, rational, scientifically-supported facts, the more I begin to wonder: What is fact? What is proof of a fact? What is reality?
If a flat-earther’s definition of proof consists of that which they can personally see and feel and my definition consists of some thousands of years of scientific evidence — while others’ definition of proof consists of, perhaps, a science-fiction novel — then how are the lot of us ever…
