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Facts and minds (lemmy.world)
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[-] WanderingThoughts@europe.pub 40 points 2 weeks ago

One study I found is where they let people (their control group) check some data about effectiveness of a certain shampoo. They all found the correct answer. Then they let people do the exercise with the exact same data but said it was about gun control. Suddenly a part of the participants failed at basic math and had a lot of rationalizations.

Some folks will not just accept any fact or data that goes against a belief held by their peer group. Giving facts will even be seen as a personal attack.

[-] KyuubiNoKitsune@lemmy.blahaj.zone 1 points 2 weeks ago

I think Veritasium did a video on that.

[-] SkyezOpen@lemmy.world 0 points 2 weeks ago

Would love to see it if you have a link.

[-] Pilon23@feddit.dk 2 points 2 weeks ago

I'd imagine this is what OP is referring to

[-] loomy@lemy.lol 36 points 2 weeks ago

it matters a lot how the information is presented

[-] neon_nova@lemmy.dbzer0.com 26 points 2 weeks ago

That’s really it!

If it is a combative exchange neither side will concede.

It’s better to pretend to be ignorant or on their side and then ask questions that lead them to the truth you want them to see.

[-] Tahl_eN@lemmy.world 21 points 2 weeks ago

I actually react well to combative. Not right away, but it puts me into a "I'll show you" mood that drives me down a rabbit hole of research. If you're right, I come out the other side with the data and admit I was wrong. But I assume I'm not normal.

[-] SolarMonkey@slrpnk.net 8 points 2 weeks ago

I do the same thing. I’m also perfectly comfortable saying I was wrong if I was, and most people aren’t. I assume you are the same.

No one person can know everything. But learning and updating the information that shapes my picture of reality is something enjoyable. I’d like it to be as accurate as possible. It blows my mind that many other people aren’t like that at all. No intellectual curiosity whatever.

Though I do prefer more even-keeled discussion over combative tone. It’s just unnecessary and produces bad feels.

[-] Aceticon@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

I do the same thing and I am not at all comfortable in saying I was wrong if I was, but I generally do it anyway because, well, fair is fair and I was indeed wrong plus it's better than I discover it and will from there onwards be correct, that that I keep on spouting bullshit, so ultimatelly having been pointed out as wrong ended up as a win.

That said, if the other person was an asshole in our discussion (for example, using personal attacks and insults) I won't openly admit to them that I was wrong as I don't want to give them the satisfaction (though I'll internally accept I was wrong and correct my take from there onwards).

[-] lurch@sh.itjust.works 1 points 2 weeks ago

Yeah, "normal" people have no time or are too lazy to do that.

[-] henfredemars@infosec.pub 7 points 2 weeks ago

This is a sign of emotional intelligence. When people get emotionally invested in their argument, they don't want to lose, and they often won't let themselves believe they can even lose even when they have.

[-] pennomi@lemmy.world 2 points 2 weeks ago

That’s both the strength and horror of LLMs. They are super good at presenting information in a pleasing way to the user… but can you trust that what it says is correct?

To the majority of humans, a pleasing presentation is treated as evidence of truth, despite that being a logical fallacy.

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[-] Quadhammer@lemmy.world 5 points 2 weeks ago

That's just like your opinion, man

[-] NerdInSuspenders@leminal.space 22 points 2 weeks ago
[-] jsomae@lemmy.ml 12 points 2 weeks ago

well he was in a bit of a bind. If this had changed his mind, what would that say?

[-] r00ty@kbin.life 6 points 2 weeks ago

I foresee two possibilities.

1: Coming face to face with their own mistake might put them into shock and they would simply pass out. 2: The realization could create a time paradox, the result of which could cause a chain reaction that would unravel the very fabric of the spacetime continuum and destroy the entire universe! Granted, that's a worst-case scenario. The destruction might in fact be very localized, limited to merely our own galaxy.

[-] deathbird@mander.xyz 6 points 2 weeks ago

Without seeing the studies, it's hard to know if they were good studies that support her position or not.

[-] lugal@lemmy.dbzer0.com 5 points 2 weeks ago

Things are more complicated than that. You have the guy you argue with who won't admit they're wrong but maybe in the aftermath will shift their opinion a little and after many discussions like that agree with you. Than there are many passive bystanders, undecided and won't comment but maybe find your point more persuasive

[-] Prunebutt@slrpnk.net 4 points 2 weeks ago
[-] nucleative@lemmy.world 3 points 2 weeks ago

Yeah it matters a lot how the conversation is set up.

Is it "you and I versus the facts"?

Or "you vs me"?

Competent people can disagree and also identify where the facts are missing and the assumptions begin that lead to this. It doesn't have to be a fight if they look at the data as something to discover together.

[-] Auth@lemmy.world 3 points 2 weeks ago

Sometimes people will make a broad statement then link a study that supports it and act like boom that makes it a fact. No it doesnt. A study supporting your statement helps support your argument but it doesnt make it a fact. The real world is extremely complex and there are so many factors that can make something true in one place,space or moment in time and worng in another.

[-] Agosagror@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 2 weeks ago

Theres only one good way to change someones mind over something that they have become entrenched about - for example politics, but anything where the reaction is a no rather than a what.

And thats to listen to everything they say, and ask the right question at the right time, a gentle interjection, something that nudges them to question something themselves. At somepoint they might even ask you about you perspective, and you need to give the right kind of answer.

Its slow and painful, and for big things it takes years and years of work to get someone to change. But its the only way ive found to truly work.

[-] forrgott@lemmy.sdf.org 1 points 2 weeks ago

The way I heard this explained is you have to show compassion. And if they disagree on something important to you, that might be hard! But I think it's right on the money.

That said, I appreciate the way you break it down; especially that you point out the fact it can definitely be slow and painful.

however, if he did change his mind, you would need wrong

[-] buttnugget@lemmy.world 1 points 2 weeks ago

I mean, they’re both right. Without seeing the studies, we can’t know exactly what was being investigated, but obviously people have the capacity to change their minds. It just depends on what timeframe, how much evidence, potential removal from propaganda system, etc.

[-] jsomae@lemmy.ml 1 points 2 weeks ago

I'm sure everyone here has seen people change their minds when confronted with information that runs counter to their narrative.

[-] lugal@lemmy.dbzer0.com 0 points 2 weeks ago

That's partly because lemmy is less toxic than the platform OOP posted on

[-] jsomae@lemmy.ml 0 points 2 weeks ago

lemmy's preeeeetty toxic. But admittedly, I've never used twitter.

[-] lugal@lemmy.dbzer0.com 0 points 2 weeks ago

checking your instance

OK, true

[-] Nalivai@discuss.tchncs.de 2 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 1 week ago)

Lemmy is actually pretty good if you block .ml, it becomes pretty pleasant actually. There is one problem, a lot of the time you see a thread, press on it to check what's happening, and it doesn't let you because some .ml person started this flame war, and it's pretty annoying at times.

[-] lugal@lemmy.dbzer0.com 0 points 2 weeks ago

You can always open links in a private window or different browser

[-] Nalivai@discuss.tchncs.de 1 points 1 week ago

On mobile, in the app, it is a hustle. Rarely some comment from .ml is worth it.

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[-] Nalivai@discuss.tchncs.de 1 points 2 weeks ago

There is also a thing that people sometimes change their mind under the weight of evidence, but not immediately. It often requires you to think about it, collect your thoughts and all, and it takes some alone time

[-] mojofrododojo@lemmy.world 1 points 2 weeks ago

I don't post the links to change their mind, I post the links to show the rest of the world why they're wrong.

[-] anachronist@midwest.social 1 points 2 weeks ago

Maybe but there's this shitlib take that the problem with the Democrats isn't their shitty candidates or their shitty policies or their shitty consultants or their shitty campaigns.

The problem is the voters are just too deplorable to vote the right and honorable way.

This whole "you can't change minds with reason" is a shibboleth for these types of people.

These people would rather lose and be self-righteous about being "one of the few good ones" than put any pressure on the dems to stop this country's increasingly fast slide into fascism.

[-] dustyData@lemmy.world 1 points 2 weeks ago

But you can't change minds with reason. You have to put irrational passion and emotion into the mix. If reason always prevailed and changed minds, Trump would've never ever lead any enterprise or endeavor, let alone become president of a country.

Cemeteries and prisons are filled with people who were/are right.

[-] anachronist@midwest.social 2 points 2 weeks ago

I think Trump would not be president if the Democrats hadn't thrown a horrible batch of candidates at him.

[-] finitebanjo@lemmy.world 1 points 2 weeks ago

Theres a technique called deep canvassing where you don't question the second parties beliefs or tell them things but instead build empathy, make the conversation about them, ask them about themselves, and then tell them things they probably didn't know as a way to let them decide for themselves that they were wrong before.

If a person thinks a car is purple but it's actually beige an expert could ask about their car and their own car and how they have similar costs or routine maintenance to form a connection, then talk about the sources of pigments and introduce indexes or catalogues of colors, and the person would see on their own how purple relates to blue and red and how beige relates to yellow and come to the correct conclusion on their own.

[-] lmmarsano@lemmynsfw.com 0 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

Changing someone's mind in a public debate isn't necessary to show everyone they're a fool. That's usually enough.

Whether they ever get sick of being a fool is entirely up to them. If they're wise & mature, they will & maybe even admit it. Some people never do & it's mostly their problem at that point. Humans gonna human.

[-] lugal@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 2 weeks ago

Winning a public debate is much more about rhetorical skills than being right. You can be very knowledgeable in a topic of your research, still lose because you can't put it simple while your opponent has simple answers to complicated questions and a catch phrase and some slogans

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this post was submitted on 01 Jul 2025
553 points (98.4% liked)

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