According to the video researchers have shown that our brains respond differently to information that we agree with versus information we don’t agree with. We respond and reward ourselves emotionally with information we like. “Confirmation bias” is part of the way we naturally work, but we can try to not fall victim to it. Do you do anything to confirm the information you get in your daily feeds?

In many ways I feel like it’s unfortunate that the “news” business changed in the U.S. at a time when access to information exploded. I don’t know what professional journalism could have done but revenues disappeared, expertise was disparaged and social networks gave a megaphone to all of the know-it-alls who previously only irritated those in their immediate surroundings. So, because it’s so easy to look authoritative online, one has to vet everything one sees because presentation is no guarantee of validity. And I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to have to do all of the work of chasing down every story’s truthfulness. Ugh. But, if you care about Truth, you have to stay vigilant that you are not participating in spreading unverified information. Like the video said, we like what we like, but we have to guard against our own cognitive biases. Good luck out there.

Source: Source: KQED/PBS Above the Noise, https://youtu.be/dNmwvntMF5A