In Politics, Sometimes The Facts Don't Matter

[TrogL]

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=128490874

New research suggests that misinformed people rarely change their minds when presented with the facts -- and often become even more attached to their beliefs. The finding raises questions about a key principle of a strong democracy: that a well-informed electorate is best.

We'd like to believe that most of what we know is accurate and that if presented with facts to prove we're wrong, we would sheepishly accept the truth and change our views accordingly.

A new body of research out of the University of Michigan suggests that's not what happens, that we base our opinions on beliefs and when presented with contradictory facts, we adhere to our original belief even more strongly.

The phenomenon is called backfire, and it plays an especially important role in how we shape and solidify our beliefs on immigration, the president's place of birth, welfare and other highly partisan issues.

The article (actually a transcript) is primarily about John McCain and Arizona Governor Brewer's lies about the crime situation with immigrants in Arizona. In one example, Dana Milbank has noted the FBI website's indication that crime is down in Arizona, McCain responds with an individual case, pretending it shows a pattern. In other words, that facts are lies.

I'm on a Safe Streets committee where I live and have routine access to police officers and crime information including internal reports. Crime in my area is down. There used to be dozens of hookers, pimps and drug dealers in my neighbourhood and crack houses on every block. Now we're down to maybe six hookers, the pimps are all cowering in one bar, there's two drug dealers still extant (I've got footage of one so that isn't going to last too much longer) and the last crack house is probably going to be shut down next week.

Try telling that to some people. They claim the problem is worse, pointing to the four hookers standing on the one remaining corner where they've been able to manage to evade capture (by bolting into the nearby pimp bar).

[patrice]

1. People don't know what rationalism is, nor do they value it. I think, on the average, we are a very

immature childish culture.

[Vinnie From Indy]

2. It is important to note the role of the media in America in regard to this issue

It should be noted that there is a gargantuan industry DEVOTED to supplying and solidifying mistaken beliefs in our population. Rush Limbaugh and his cohorts rain down thousands of hours a week of lies, deception, hate and misdirection on Americans. The emergence of FOX News as a so-called legitimate news network has provided the rabid right-wingers, racists and morons all the justification and comfort they need to believe in things that are clearly and easily proved to be false. FOX is a security blanket for the weak minded.

[Uncle Joe]

4. I agree Vinnie and I believe that industry does so because their corporate interest and

that of a public interest or good so often conflict on many occasions.

Their conflict of interest lies in either or all.

1. Corporate ownership or the parent of that media conglomerate.

2. Commercial buying corporate clients' interests over those of the public.

3. Predisposed general sympathy for the concept of for profit industries whether they make logical sense or not.

While FOX may be the red flag, I view most of the others as the sword which ends up killing the bull.

I can't recall any serious debate among them about the logic, morality, or efficiency of having a redundant for profit "health" insurance industry; which not only contributes nothing to health care, but only serves to leech precious health care dollars away from that endeavor as compared to having universal single payer coverage for every American. That was the elephant in the room and the corporate media did all they could to totally ignore it.

When the corporate media ignore critical issues like this, then for a mega wealthy industry; buying off a few politicians is like taking candy from a Glenn Beck.

[Ozymanithrax]

3. Politics acts like religion...it works on faith and belief not rational thought.

Most people will not reevaluate their entire belief system without some enormous disaster.

[Hydra]

5. "Sanity is not statistical."

But in the US and many other places, it is.

I personally love truth. It's solid, it speaks for itself, and it never changes on you.

The problem is that most of the people I know find it much more comforting to be part of the bigger crowd of people, and that bigger crowd says what our rulers tell them to: "We're #1!" comes to mind.

Too many people are willing to trade away the truth to belong to the crowd.