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Why do facts and statistics really piss some people off?
Last Sunday in CUA I made a comment about how brains work when folks are intensely into a political candidate. I linked to the article in that comment and here’s that link again: www.rawstory.com/… I wanted to make today’s CUA about this topic.
First, however, I’m going to tell you about when I first became aware of this very type of thing. It was years ago during the Proposition 8 (aka Prop H8) debate here in California. Gavin Newsom made gay marriage legal in California which naturally stunned the usual groups who mobilized against it by putting Prop. 8 on the ballot. As we all know, Prop. 8 passed making gay marriage illegal again in California until SCOTUS made same-sex marriage legal across the entire country.
Before the Prop. 8 vote happened, I happened to be listening to a segment on our local public radio station (NSPR = North State Public Radio). That segment is known as The California Report. Two researchers were being interviewed about a study they’d conducted by going around personally to talk with people who were against gay marriage to see if they could persuade them to change their minds.
Some of the many lies told about gay people is that it’s a choice and they recruit others to becoming gay specifically targeting children. There was a common one out there that it’s terrible for children to be adopted by gay parents. These researchers presented facts to those opposed to gay marriage which proved these beliefs weren’t true. What happened?
People became defensive and dug in their heels. They weren’t persuaded at all...just the opposite. They became even more entrenched in their wrongful beliefs. Why? Their research showed when people believe something that’s incorrect and have a strong emotional charge behind it, and you present facts to show them their opinion is wrong, they refuse to accept it. It becomes a “how dare you” type of thing. They feel put down and think you’re telling them they’re stupid for believing what they do. They become obstinate and even more recalcitrant in their beliefs.
Facts don’t change the minds of people who’ve already made up their minds about something if they also feel emotional about what they believe.
So they tied a different tactic, which was part of their experiment. Instead of presenting facts, they illicited feelings. They talked about love and family being the what creates a stable society. They talked about kids being cared for being so healthy for kids and the future of the county. This actually did change the minds of a small number of folks from being totally against gay marriage to thinking it wouldn’t destroy the fabric of society and wasn’t terrible for children to have gay parents. This seemed encouraging but unfortunately it wore off after 2-3 days as these people reverted back to their previous beliefs. Still, tapping into feelings was shown to be able to change people’s beliefs whereas simply presenting facts and trying to reason failed.
Ever wonder why you can never convince your RW relatives that the things they believe that are factually wrong are indeed just that? Ever wonder why reasoning calmly with folks like that using proven facts and statistics just makes them angry and often results in their attacking you? It’s because not only do they adamantly choose to believe what they do, they also hear you telling them they are ignorant and stupid when you present what you know to be the truth.
Using facts and reason actually backfires. Climate change is a great example. The more the science shows us what’s happening, those who choose not to believe it become even more strongly convinced it isn’t real. It even causes a backlash against science altogether. Science is wrong. Science doesn’t prove anything, it’s just a theory.
The article I linked to at the top of this diary explains why, but it really goes far beyond politics. It’s about how our brains work when we have a strong belief coupled with an emotional charge. I’ve read many studies about this phenomenon from the standpoint of scientific concepts and from the standpoint of social issues. It’s been long understood that facts just piss folks off when those facts fly in the face of their beliefs or go against their political bent when they are emotionally invested.
When folks are strongly for a candidate they will not change their minds when presented with facts and figures showing their candidate lies or is just plain wrong. They aren’t swayed one bit and double down. All you’ve done is gotten them to be more recalcitrant and belligerent in their beliefs. So, don’t hold your breath about changing Trump supporters or Hillary supporters or Bernie supporters. If you get into a discussion with them, it will turn ugly fast. You’ll likely get personally attacked as well.
Don’t worry, this place is safe to talk about anything you want.
Just don’t be a dick, that’s all.
Community Building Updates
State Open Threads
Colorado: Wednesdays, 6:00 PM Mountain
Michigan: Wednesdays, 6:00 PM Eastern
North Carolina: Sundays, 1:00 PM Eastern
Washington: Sundays, 3:30 PM Pacific
Missouri: Wednesday Evenings
Kansas: Monday Evenings
Events Currently Scheduled
Last minute event to WELCOME ColoTim TO TOWN!
Please join us:
This Sunday, March 6th at 1:00 PM
Beach Chalet Brewery & Restaurant
1000 Great Hwy.
San Francisco, CA 94121
(415) 386-8439
Please send navajo a kosmail if you’d like to attend.
RSVPS:
1. ColoTim
2. navajo
3. dsb
4. Lorikeet
5. norm
6. Silky
7. side pocket
8. Glen The Plumber
9. remembrance
10. TLO
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Maybees:
dsb’s guest
ColoTim’s guest
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March 14th at 1PM at Ferguson Brewing Company, 418 S Florissant Rd, Ferguson, Missouri. We expect to have a few guests, good food, and we will have new data available from the state house. Netroots Nation 2016 planning is also on the menu (besides great food). More info in Chris Reeves’s diary.
Save The Date! peregrine kate will be in town on Sunday, May, 15th! Event will be a picnic in San Francisco at 1:00 PM. Stay tuned for exact location. Please send navajo a kosmail if you’d like to attend.
RSVPS:
1. peregrine kate
2. navajo
3. Meteor Blades
4. smileycreek
5. paradise50
6. side pocket
7. maggiejean
8. Glen The Plumber
9. remembrance
10. TLO
11. kimoconnor
12. Steven Payne
13. Brian Payne
14. norm
15. dsb
16. Lorikeet
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Maybees:
FogCityJohn
FogCityJohn’s SO
shanikka
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Registration and hotels still available
Cheers & Jeers Welcoming Dinner Wednesday, July 13, 2016 Time: TBD, early evening, 5-ish or 6-ish Location: TBD, near Convention Center
Roll call for the C&J Dinner in Connect! Unite! Act! This will be the headcount for the C&J Dinner. Spread the word.
RSVPS:
1. navajo
2. Meteor Blades
3. Bill in Portland Maine
4. Common Sense Mainer
5. jotter
6. aha aha (Mrs. jotter)
7. side pocket
8. Mrs. side pocket
9. paradise50
10. smileycreek
11. Chris Reeves
12. Ramara
13. loggersbrat
14. Justice Putnam
15. theRoaringGirl
16. winkk
17. jakedog42
18. vicki
19. markm667
20. brillig (bday gurl that day!)
21. mik
22. K1
23. K2
24. Eddie in ME
25. moody in savannah
26. lulu
27. texasmom
28. texasdad
29. Ed Tracey
30. Shermanesq
31. Doggie
32. 714day
33. gizmo59
34. gizmo59’s squeeze
35. belinda ridgewood
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Maybees:
norm winifred3
normAl1792
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There will also be a Daily Kos Caucus session during NN16. Stay tuned for date and time.
Event Reporting
While we are awaiting the official recap photo diary by JoanBrooker of our New York City meet-up on Sunday, February 28, 2016 with navajo and Denise Oliver-Velez, please enjoy this place-marker group photo. Several attendees were taking photos and we can promise some excellent food pr0n. Stay tuned for Joan’s report. We had a great day that lasted from noon until 8:30 PM!
Saturday, February 13, 2016, the readers of Daily Kos in North Carolina joined thousands in the 10th Annual Mass Moral March on Raleigh & HKonJ People’s Assembly GET-OUT-THE-VOTE GATHERING AND MOBILIZATION action. Our readers braved 27 degree weather! There were two diaries about it: The march the trolls couldn't stop: NC-NAACP's Moral March on Raleigh, 13 Feb 2016 by DocDawg and North Carolina Open Thread: Marching and Connecting by randallt.
Here’s one photo of many provided by both diarists:
The marvelous NYC Kossacks got together to welcome front pager, Laura Clawson, to NYC. And what a fantastic job they did. Look at all the people who showed up! Full report here.
nhox42 organized and reports details about a recent meet-up in Maine along with food pr0n! Cheers and Jeers/NE Kossacks Midwinter Meetup Success!
navajo maintains the above event list. Kosmail her if you have any diaries about your event or if you have changes or additions.
This is an open thread. Nothing is off topic.