Source: The Knowledge Illusion (Page 160, hardback edition)Our beliefs are not isolated pieces of data that we can take and discard at will.
Instead, beliefs are deeply intertwined with other beliefs, shared cultural values, and our identities.
To discard a belief means discarding a whole host of other beliefs, forsaking our communities, going against those we trust and love, and in short, challenging our identities.
According to this view, is it any wonder that providing people with a little information about GMOs, vaccines, or global warming have little impact on their beliefs and attitudes?
The power that culture has over cognition just swamps these attempts at education.
Credit: Steven Sloman
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In-person, 7–11 September 2026
Warbrook House, Hampshire, UK
We are living and working in conditions of uncertainty, complexity, and rapid change. This week-long workshop offers a space to practise Conversational Leadership as a shared, lived experience.