Several threads here contain references to cognitive bias. The idea being that some people are biased on a subject, to the point that they are more receptive to new info that matches their bias, than other info.
I have always considered myself to be a fair person. A person who tries to hear both sides before making judgements.
Yet, I have been accused of having such a cognitive bias. So I took a good look at myself…. and, yes, I do recognize some biases in myself.
An important subject in this matter is the pandemic, as far as my bias is concerned.
A virus appeared. It affected all of us. This was a common enemy. There was nothing to be biased about!
So I listened to the news, I searched the internet, to learn about this threat and how to deal with it. Whatever advice they would give us, I would follow it.
However, as I was doing my research, it became obvious that certain entities in power were trying to deceive us.
Successful treatments of this virus were immediately wiped off the internet. Case numbers were inflated.
There was definitely something sinister going on.
So I started leaving the realm of our beloved MSM and started looking elsewhere….and indeed, there was a lot of information out there, that was swept under the rug. Somebody was trying to hide important info from us.
This made me “biased” against the MSM, the CDC, the NIAID, etc etc, and all those who were nothing but a giant propaganda machinery.
Then the vaccines came out, and the deception continued. And I kept on researching, away from the MSM.
Yes, call me “biased”.
However, don’t make it sound like a personality flaw that needs to be corrected. Had “they” been honest with us, I would not be biased. I would gladly listen to their advice.
“They” deceived us. “They” don’t deserve our trust.
To make it worse, “they” started fighting dirty. Rather than engaging fairly with opposing opinions, they resorted to name-calling. Every time an expert in his field expressed an opposing opinion, they called it ‘conspiracy theory”,“junk science”, “fake news”… only their own propaganda is “factual”, or “scientific”
So, there you have it. Cognitive bias. Definitely. I don’t trust those who deceived us.
And those entities who deceive us…well, they are fully aware of what they are doing.
They are whispering in my ear “resistance is futile” ( just kidding… but then, in a way, resistance is indeed futile)
Thanks Gunter,
Your lack of trust in these sources..........CDC, MSN, Fauci, the government(when its not the right) and others is causing you to miss authentic facts/science/medicine if they come from those sources.
I totally get the not trusting part......but as a result, you have thrown all your trust in sources that say the complete opposite of the ones you've decided to never trust.
If the CDC says something and another source says the opposite..........you will believe the non CDC source every time.
I don't know everything about science and am wrong sometimes but will always base statements on OBJECTIVE authentic science and data.
I've spend the last year trying to learn everything that I can on COVID and reporting that objectively here. That includes busting the sources that you don't trust several times on their deception, including the protesting, masks, Fauci, Biden, hydroxychloroquine and more.
https://www.marketforum.com/forum/topic/70091/#70161
https://www.marketforum.com/forum/topic/70091/#70162
However, the CDC has been telling the truth more than its been lying, especially about the COVID stats and vaccine. How would you even know the difference when you won't believe anything that comes from them?
Fauci has also told the truth most of the time too as has Biden and the MSM on COVID.
But you are totally unable to recognize and embrace the truth when it comes from them because you won't believe anything that comes from those sources.
I will believe some things.......that line up with the facts and science but call them out on other things, as noted in the numerous threads at the links below.........based on verifiable facts to prove it in each instance:
Gunter,
You are really hurting yourself by believing in some of this junk science on COVID and the COVID vaccine. Some of it is not even in the vicinity of legit science and has no facts to back it up.
When you show things backed with facts, I bow to you and appreciate it.
But some of this recent stuff on COVID #'s and the vaccine has become an obsession with you and you appear to be on a mission to show that its right instread of looking at all the information screaming loudly to all open minded people who see all the data that exposes it as seriously flawed.
The persistence of this tells me that these extreme sites have changed you. I hope that you can snap out of it.
Gunter,
If you want to see the quintessential example of cognitive bias, get a load of this guy that refuses to believe hundreds of objective independent (from each other) authorities on the authentic COVID vaccine science because they've decided to believe speculative junk science from some extreme sites/sources.
post removed
wrong thread
sorry
One more quick comment …
I have openly admitted that I often read those hated “conspiracy theorist” sites, in order to get away from the very lopsided MSM.
It seems, the most hated one is inforwars.com, and its leader.Alex Jones
I have no problem with Alex Jones being accused of “conspiracy theory”.
He does often give a view of the world, a world oppressed by evil entities.
For example,just 3 years ago, he predicted that the “globalists” would unleash a world-wide pandemic, which would allow them control and oppress the world population.
By definition, this can clearly be called a “conspiracy theory”.
However, such predictions are not why I visit this site. I hardly ever listen to their daily broadcasts.
What I am interested in, is their daily collection of news events and happenings, from places around the globe. And these reports are simply “factual” reporting.
These reports are collected from regular news stations around the world, from Twitter, and many others.In a way, this portion of infowars is similar to the well-known drudgereport.com
Of course, their collection does represent a “conservative’ bias, and as such would disturb those on the other side.
In additions to news video clips, they also often feature prominent medical experts.(for example, a while back, an interview with the inventor of the PCR test, the winner of a Nobel Peace Price.)
However, whenever I mention that any comment of mine is based on info coming from this site, it is immediately discarded as “junk science”.
I am quite sure, if Albert Einstein was featured on this site today, his comments would immediately be labelled as “junk science”.
Could this hatred be called “cognitive bias”/
Time for me to bow out
Peace!
Sorry to read this Gunter but I won't coddle people who push conspiracy theories/junk science, even it they are friends and I like them.
I'm sure that Einstein, when he made new discoveries, always operated with the realms of authentic science and didn't VIOLATE authentic science and physical laws.
If you think that you and your junk science sources are in the same league as Einstein, then I look forward to reading more about it in the future somewhere else.
Otherwise, you are always very welcome to post freely here with ZERO censorship and whatever it is that you want to post.
If your science and personality can't withstand the challenge from an actual scientist here, then you can choose to post at an echo chamber with other people who want to believe the same stuff that will cheer you on.
I am actually trying to fight that here(echo chamber with people repeating manufactured realities for political agenda) because its part of the reason that our country has become so divisive.
I had been thinking of you as an ally in this pursuit but I guess not.
Peace back at you!