Editor’s note: One of the greatest obstacles to improving human condition is an inbred resistance to new information which contradicts what has been believed to be correct. Presenting facts often simply causes people ‘to get their backs up’ and reinforce their mistaken views. Thus it takes long periods of time and sometimes the advent of a new generation to win support for reforms even when the facts are clear on their face.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Cognitive dissonance is an uncomfortable feeling caused by holding conflicting ideas simultaneously. The theory of cognitive dissonance proposes that people have a motivational drive to reduce dissonance. They do this by changing their attitudes, beliefs, and actions.[2] Dissonance is also reduced by justifying, blaming, and denying. It is one of the most influential and extensively studied theories in social psychology.
Hindsight can clash with prior expectations, as, for example, with buyer’s remorse after the purchase of a new car. In a state of dissonance, people may feel surprise,[2] dread, guilt, anger, or embarrassment. Despite contrary evidence, people are biased to think of their choices as correct. This bias gives dissonance theory its predictive power, shedding light on otherwise puzzling irrational and destructive behavior.
A classical example of this idea (and the origin of the expression “sour grapes“) is expressed in the fable The Fox and the Grapes by Aesop (ca. 620–564 BCE). In the story, a fox sees some high-hanging grapes and wishes to eat them. When the fox is unable to think of a way to reach them, he surmises that the grapes are probably not worth eating, as they must not be ripe or that they are sour. This example follows a pattern: one desires something, finds it unattainable, and reduces one’s dissonance by criticizing it. Jon Elster calls this pattern “adaptive preference formation.”[1]
A powerful cause of dissonance is an idea in conflict with a fundamental element of the self-concept, such as “I am a good person” or “I made the right decision.” The anxiety that comes with the possibility of having made a bad decision can lead to rationalization, the tendency to create additional reasons or justifications to support one’s choices. A person who just spent too much money on a new car might decide that the new vehicle is much less likely to break down than his or her old car. This belief may or may not be true, but it would reduce dissonance and make the person feel better. Dissonance can also lead to confirmation bias, the denial of disconfirming evidence, and other ego defense mechanisms… (more)
And, of course, the opposite of dissonance is harmony. And, so the “painful” revulsion to cognitive dissonance is cured by seeking that which is harmonious. This certainly is the reason why some watch Fox and others watch MSNBC.
The Internet and media in general have long held the promise of uniting diverse communities on several fronts but modern demographic science has invented a Trojan Horse vehicle called “target Marketing” which carves up ages, cultures, sub-cultures, races, classes, neighborhoods, religions, political parties, sexes, etc. etc. and then crafts different messages based upon what still other social sciences have discovered that each of these groups would like to hear, i.e. harmonious messages, and this in order to better sell its products whether political beliefs or deodorant.
The promise of media to unite has therefore had the opposite effect. We have not only become more fragmented but the fragments are at war with each other. Our artificially created consumer mentality now demands to hear only harmonious messages and experiences any discordant message as a personal attack, an “attack” on our “walled in”, harmonious, melodious, comfortable space.
The rage expressed so often today is internally perceived therefore as defensive. It is the other guy who is trying to destroy my world, my country, my religion, my sex, my class.
The way back is hard to perceive. Its like the final scene in “The Wizard of Oz”; there he was the “great and powerful wizard” unable to bring the hot air balloon back to earth because, he said, “I can’t, I don’t know how it works”. We may be in the same boat (or balloon!)