Do you ever wonder why there's so much contention within political discourse? Why individuals religiously defend their political ideologies, despite their seemingly blatant flaws?
Do you feel like no matter how well you articulate your position on something to someone, it always goes in one ear and out the other?
Do you feel like most people just aren't rational when it comes to politics?
Surprise, dumbass!
You're probably just as irrational about politics as everyone else.
Found an absolutely amazing essay by a philosophy professor named Michael Huemer titled "Why People Are Irrational about Politics."
It's lengthy and rather academic, but well worth the read.
For the sake of brevity, I'll briefly summarize some of the key points found in the essay.
Without further ado, here are 5 reasons you're probably not as rational about politics as you think you are:
7. You're Willfully Ignorant
While technically not irrational, Rational Ignorance is our tendency to remain willfully ignorant of certain information because the cost of absorbing it outweighs any perceived benefit.
This isn't inherently a bad thing by any means. Because our lives are short, it's in our best interest to economize our time effectively.
However, Rational Ignorance can potentially leave wide gaps in our political knowledge, increasing the chances that we'll form incorrect conclusions about political matters based on embarrassingly incomplete data.
After all, what's our incentive for becoming politically knowledgable if we can't fucking affect the political system in any meaningful way on an individual level?
6. It's Often Rational to be Irrational about Politics
What if forming correct beliefs about political issues isn't that beneficial to you, personally?
But why? Why would you - an otherwise rational human being - suspend epistemic rationality in the face of serious political issues that effect our daily lives?
An obvious answer would be financial or monetary gain. Example: A government agent willfully overlooks data that strongly suggestions his particular department is a severe economic drain with almost zero benefits, because he wants to feel his existence (and career) are justified. He also espouses other political beliefs that help support his primary cause (justifying his department's existence).
But what about people who derive no direct (or indirect) monetary gain from harboring non-epistemic belief preferences (i.e. biases)?
Well...
5. You Use Political Beliefs to Bolster Your Self-Image
Want to feel superior? Want people to notice what an independent maverick you are? Want to feel like you "transcend" conventional political discourse because you see past the "illusions" that most of the "sheep" are ensnared by?
Become a fucking anarchist.
Psyche. Kidding.
(Or am I?)
4. You Would Rather Bond with Your Tribe than be Rational
In other words, your social preferences largely shape your political beliefs. If you generally dislike the attitudes and behaviors of bleeding-heart liberals, you're more likely to reject any idea or political stance largely espoused by that group (regardless of its content).
Likewise, you're going to be more receptive of certain political positions held by people who you like and respect (again, regardless of content). It's likely that one may adopt a political belief simply because it's the "in" thing to do. He will of course rationalize this ex post facto to alleviate cognitive dissonance.
This theory could explain why people hold political beliefs that are logically unrelated. For example, those who support social welfare schemes typically support gun control -- two positions that don't require or support each other whatsoever.
3. You Automatically Discredit Evidence that Conflicts with Your Belief
This happens on a subconscious level, mostly.
This is perhaps one of my biggest problems and one that's hardest to combat.
Do you feel like no matter how well you articulate your position on something to someone, it always goes in one ear and out the other?
Do you feel like most people just aren't rational when it comes to politics?
Surprise, dumbass!
You're probably just as irrational about politics as everyone else.
Found an absolutely amazing essay by a philosophy professor named Michael Huemer titled "Why People Are Irrational about Politics."
It's lengthy and rather academic, but well worth the read.
For the sake of brevity, I'll briefly summarize some of the key points found in the essay.
Without further ado, here are 5 reasons you're probably not as rational about politics as you think you are:
7. You're Willfully Ignorant
While technically not irrational, Rational Ignorance is our tendency to remain willfully ignorant of certain information because the cost of absorbing it outweighs any perceived benefit.
This isn't inherently a bad thing by any means. Because our lives are short, it's in our best interest to economize our time effectively.
However, Rational Ignorance can potentially leave wide gaps in our political knowledge, increasing the chances that we'll form incorrect conclusions about political matters based on embarrassingly incomplete data.
After all, what's our incentive for becoming politically knowledgable if we can't fucking affect the political system in any meaningful way on an individual level?
6. It's Often Rational to be Irrational about Politics
What if forming correct beliefs about political issues isn't that beneficial to you, personally?
But why? Why would you - an otherwise rational human being - suspend epistemic rationality in the face of serious political issues that effect our daily lives?
An obvious answer would be financial or monetary gain. Example: A government agent willfully overlooks data that strongly suggestions his particular department is a severe economic drain with almost zero benefits, because he wants to feel his existence (and career) are justified. He also espouses other political beliefs that help support his primary cause (justifying his department's existence).
But what about people who derive no direct (or indirect) monetary gain from harboring non-epistemic belief preferences (i.e. biases)?
Well...
5. You Use Political Beliefs to Bolster Your Self-Image
Want to feel superior? Want people to notice what an independent maverick you are? Want to feel like you "transcend" conventional political discourse because you see past the "illusions" that most of the "sheep" are ensnared by?
Become a fucking anarchist.
Psyche. Kidding.
(Or am I?)
4. You Would Rather Bond with Your Tribe than be Rational
In other words, your social preferences largely shape your political beliefs. If you generally dislike the attitudes and behaviors of bleeding-heart liberals, you're more likely to reject any idea or political stance largely espoused by that group (regardless of its content).
Likewise, you're going to be more receptive of certain political positions held by people who you like and respect (again, regardless of content). It's likely that one may adopt a political belief simply because it's the "in" thing to do. He will of course rationalize this ex post facto to alleviate cognitive dissonance.
This theory could explain why people hold political beliefs that are logically unrelated. For example, those who support social welfare schemes typically support gun control -- two positions that don't require or support each other whatsoever.
3. You Automatically Discredit Evidence that Conflicts with Your Belief
This happens on a subconscious level, mostly.
This is perhaps one of my biggest problems and one that's hardest to combat.
Just finished part 1. 
