He does not avoid anyone. This phenomenon can affect anyone, who does not choose neither age nor social status.
What is it really about?
As a rule, it is a way to search and filter information. Each person usually has his own view on the issue from the beginning of the discussion. The more convinced he is of this point of view, the more likely he is to fall into the snare of confirmation bias. The brain is always looking for easier ways to understand the increasingly complex world around us. The essence of this phenomenon is relatively simple. This is a subconscious search for only such information that confirms our opinion. The rest of the facts are either ignored or downplayed in some way. If the topic discussed is emotional in nature or color, the tendency for selective thinking is even greater, and the reaction to the opposite opinion is also positively emotional
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Conspiracy theorists
He knows he will have a difficult battle with an individual who is blind and deaf to information that goes against his worldview, especially if he encounters a conspiracy theorist in an online debate. This is the hardest form when you feel that the person lives in a completely different reality than you. By the way, that\’s what your opponent thinks of you. You can put up with as many arguments as you like, but you can not win this battle. You will probably include the achievements of a long-debunked myth and all sorts of controversial fouls, their use joining hands with confirmatory biases, the best thing is to end the debate and focus on something more meaningful.
How to avoid falling alone into the murky sea of this kind of cognitive distortion
There are some simple principles that minimize risk.
•Be honest with yourself and do not be afraid to admit your mistakes.
•Listen to the opinions you disagree with.
•Check the facts from different sources.
•Use verified sources.
•Think without emotion if possible.
•In most cases, simple solutions to complex problems do not work, but they are very attractive.
•Get rid of prejudice and always approach the problem with the greatest open mind.
•Even an expert in one field or a Nobel laureate may not be an expert in another.
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