In a post for my blook on Conversational Leadership, I explore how our deeply held beliefs rest on remarkably flimsy foundations. Though we argue vociferously over our ideas, we mostly do not understand how they formed and how to question them.
I make the point that our confidence in our beliefs is incredible, considering how little we actually know, especially on complex social issues.
I discuss how we are polarized across political and other divides and that to heal these rifts, we need to rethink how we form beliefs and be more open to revising them through conversation.
I suggest we start by assuming others act in good faith and try to understand how they think. We should also be more tolerant of radical ideas different from our own.
I then outline several preconditions for having difficult conversations across divides. These include being open to questioning our beliefs, ceasing to see others as enemies, trusting each other, showing mutual respect, following conversation guidelines, and learning skills for dialogue.
I end by noting that people are often more interested in getting others to rethink their beliefs than doing so themselves. Yet progress requires we all reflect on how we came to believe what we believe.
Learn more by reading my entire post.
What do you think? Are you willing to question your most cherished beliefs? How might we foster more rational, nuanced discussions despite our biases? I welcome your thoughts.
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Knowledge Letter: Issue: 280 (Subscribe)
Tags: beliefs (61) | cognitive bias (25) | polarization (13) | reasoning (51)
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Photo Credits: Midjourney (Public Domain)