Opinions and beliefs are an integral part of every individual.Combined with knowledge, they play a pivotal role in shaping us and helping us in our decision making. What comes in mind whenever the topic of one' s beliefs is discussed is how easily it is corrupted. The manipulation of our one' s mind through various facts is indeed possible.
An article that i read entitled "I Know The Truth, So Dont Bother Me With Facts" discussed how geniunely concievable one' s thinking may be altered. It was demonstrated through a research study done by professors at Ohio State University trying to prove "how sticky such false beliefs are and what it takes to dis abuse people of them." The study centers on the ongoing debate over a purposed planned cultural center that will feature a culinary school, an auditorium, a restaurant, a library, a fitness center, a 9/11 memorial and most importantly, a mosque. There are a lot of mixed feelings towards the building of such center especially so because the one spear heading the project is Feisal Abdul Rauf, a muslim leader who raised eyebrows when he said that American involvement in wars in the Arab world made the U.S an accessory to the terrorist attacks. In the study, researchers recruited 750 people who have knowledge of the proposed cultural center and believing at least one of the rumors about it. Their main purpose is to find out wether differentiating evidence would change their opinion. The participants were exposed to different scenarios in the study. They were presented with rebuttals, contradictory information and new evidence. Also a picture of Feisal Abdul Rauf for visual aid inorder to affect where they stand on the issue. Even with contradictory information, fewer than a third of the subjects were willing to change where they stand.
I have a life changing experience to shrae as an example regarding the topic. I always believe that a family prays together stays together. My parents raised me to believe that families stay together no matter what happens as long as they love one another and go to church every sunday. Through most of my childhood this was the case until one day my sisters told me that my parents will be divorcing. I was shocked at first to hear that news because i do not notice any changes. We still go to sunday mass, we still pray every night and im sure my parents love one another. As time pass by, im beginning to observe that my parents are always fighting. My sisters even showed me letters confirming that my parents are soon separating. Even with all these new information, i refused to believe that my parents will be divorcing. We soon moved out from my father' s house. My mother, my sisters and myself all moved to my grandmother' s house. My sisters even confronted me in saying "see, we' ve been telling you all along that mom and dad are divorcing." It was so hard for me to accept that even with the truth, i still hang onto to the idea that my parents are together.
This experience of mine further demonstrates what R. Kelly Garrett one of the assistant professor who conducted the research, was trying to prove. He noted that according to some studies, "when subject are presented with data that contradicts their beliefs, they often paradoxically respond by cleaving to their biases even more tightly."
In conclusion, Jeffrey Kluger reminded the reader that it is up to us to make our decisions and opinions when we are faced with valid facts. I strongly agree with Mr. Kluger in saying that, facts are truth and that they mean more than fantasy - it is a reality.
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