Bad Temper, Fake News
Mark Manson, best-selling author of , highlights the relationship between anger and 鈥榝ake news鈥� on his excellent blog this month.
鈥淲e tend to remember and believe what upsets us, regardless of whether it is true,鈥� he says, 鈥淲e tend to be more confident in our beliefs of what upset us, especially if it isn鈥檛 true. And then we forget or disregard what isn鈥檛 upsetting as though it never existed.鈥�
Mason points to where test subjects were enraged before their reactions to misinformation were tested.
鈥淎nger likely causes us to believe things that are self-serving, even if they are not true,鈥� concludes Mason, 鈥淭herefore, it makes sense to be the most wary of information which makes you angry.鈥�
Indignancy is hardly limited to one side of the culture war, before readers start pointing any fingers! Step away from the outrage machines is our advice鈥�