These days, we are inundated with information. The internet allows us to access news and science reports from across the world. Social media connects us with virtually anyone on the planet. We have access to massive libraries of facts and data. So why are so many people repeating fallacies and misinformation, leading to misinterpretation, division, and hatred?
A Flood of Information
Well, the first point to address is that there is now simply too much information. The 'last man who knew everything,' Thomas Young, died in 1829, and it is commonly acknowledged that, since then, no one human being has been able to encompass the sum knowledge of all scientific fields. Even the greatest minds that followed, such as Marie Curie and Albert Einstein, were only fully knowledgeable within their specialised areas. In contrast, Young was known for his breakthroughs in subjects as diverse as mathematics, physics, medicine, and Egyptology. The reason Einstein and Curie couldn't replicate Young? With advances in science and technology, the amount of recorded data and research had become too vast.
So, if even the great minds can't be all-knowing, does that excuse the rest of us mere mortals?
There are some reasons to suppose so. The human mind likes to have simple and obvious answers to things, and we instinctively prefer solutions that suggest that, at some level, somebody is in control. So, presented with a tsunami of data, people are confused, and conspiracy theories and comforting lies offer a compelling intellectual refuge. But, does this have to be the case?
Not necessarily. Albert Einstein was foremost a great mathematician and physicist but, while most people will be unaware of this, he also spoke out on politics and social justice issues. While this was not his first area of expertise, he made some excellent contributions. This was because he was adept at critical thinking and had a keen sense of how best to seek the truth.
Many people possess these faculties, in many walks of life, from lawyers to doctors, to activists and journalists, and most of them are not geniuses, and they certainly don't know everything. So what is missing in the people shouting on all forms of media about subjects they are poorly equipped to discuss? Why are all humans not expert truth-seekers?
Education
Western education until the age of 18 focuses almost exclusively on rote learning, although things are improving in some areas. For the most part, teachers teach children to pass tests, with little emphasis on questioning or learning how to think. Critical thinking is almost always frowned upon, leaving most people intellectually stunted unless they attend university or have a level of self-awareness that encourages them to improve themselves.
People educated in this way don't know how to look for information in valuable and productive ways and are more likely to look for answers that agree with their existing beliefs (confirmation bias). They are also more likely to have an inflated idea of their abilities, leading to misplaced confidence in their intellect, a phenomenon known as the Dunning-Kruger effect.
Luckily, education is, as I have said, improving. The younger generation is learning to deal with the sea of knowledge and process it more effectively than their older counterparts. Fortunately, the loudest voices of hate and misinformation are mostly older; as Generation Z matures and becomes the future teachers, scientists, and politicians, this trend can only continue.
That is if those of us who came before allow them to and don't impede their growth!
Thanks to James at virtuescience.com for inspiring this blog post. Check out his website for more ideas on truth-seeking.