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Critical Thinking and Clicks
How to Shield Ourselves from Distorted Information
Every piece of information is just a click away now. Similarly, distorted information is also within a click’s reach. Thus, there is a great need to learn to avoid pitfalls and distorted information.
Confirmation bias exists — the tendency to accept information that confirms what we already know and reject those that contradict our beliefs.
A statement like “snakes, squirrels, or fish can fly” will be interpreted based on the context and may provoke skepticism about the information source. Such a statement is acceptable if made by a biologist or a teacher or as a joke.
It becomes crucial to remain open to change and not to hastily or superficially decide. In the case of an interesting subject, even if we like or confirm an opinion, it is good to at least consider the opposing view.
The idea is to always seek the third option.
Most of us get our information from the internet. Even if it’s not intentional manipulation, behind the provided results are omnipresent algorithms. The risk of falling into the trap of social media algorithms that confirm our opinions is real.
Hence, recognizing the complexity of real-life situations becomes necessary.
