Cognitive dissonance

Is built upon the idea that we can trick ourselves into believing things that contradict each other. This is different from pluralism in that we can create space for opposing ideas. No, what we are talking about is the tension created when we believe something is true and not true at the same time.

For instance, do you believe everything happens for a reason, and do you believe you have control over your fate? Do you believe we are in the fight for climate change but still eat meat? That’s cognitive dissonance.

Since our minds need to have to resolve instead of critically examining these beliefs, to hold up our worldview, we believe in the impossible, the untested, and the unseen. Indeed, this is the realm where dogmas and conspiracy theories thrive.

Human beings are made to misbehave. Of course, we are going to contradict ourselves. After all, we know junk food is poor for our health and still eat it. We want consitiency. The struggle is to suspend the need for resolution long enough to examine our snap judgments of the world around us. The massive hole we keep digging to prove we are right is why we feel stuck.