Posts tagged belief formation

The Echo Chamber: Why We Reject Truths We Dislike (Essay #6)

Critical Thinking November 19, 2025

Stuart Hanscomb in a modern library or study, gesturing toward two groups of books on a table - one stack labeled "Confirms My Beliefs" sitting comfortably within reach, and another stack labeled "Contradicts My Beliefs" pushed to the far edge, dusty and unopened. Behind him, a whiteboard shows a simple diagram: "New Information" at the top splitting into two arrows - one labeled "Agrees With Me (Quick Accept)" and one labeled "Disagrees With Me (Intense Scrutiny)." He's pointing at the diagram with an expression that conveys both understanding and concern.

Your brain is desperately committed to proving it was right all along. Confirmation bias operates below conscious awareness, quietly filtering reality so you only see the parts that confirm your existing beliefs.

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