This is NOT about all the lovely things people can and should do with evidence and related issues.
This is about what the human mind tends to do with evidence that is unpalatable (causing discomfort etc):
- Doubt it.
- Avoid evaluating it.
- Rubbish it.
- Apply unsavoury labels to persons who report the evidence – so as to rubbish it.
- Avoid people who repeatedly present the evidence.
- Ignore it – with arguments such as “You’ve not seen the evidence for yourself!” Like I’ve never ‘seen’ my liver – this does not mean I don’t have a liver!
- Tell themselves stories that, “It’ll all be fine!” or “I’m fine!” I’ve even heard people who were seriously suicidal just 5 mins ago tell me “Not to worry, I’m fine.. I’m sorry. Never mind. Sorry to bother you.” This is like the most infantile idiotic sort of statement; totally out of context. And you know what – these people expect to be believed – and not challenged. Challenged? Yeah – like you don’t tell someone who was just suicidal 5 minutes ago, “What an arsehole are you – trying to give me bullshit! You’re a disingenuous wanker, who attempts to take me for a fool – piss off!“
- Say, “Things will work themselves out.” – the biggest loadah manure of all.
- When in the odd instance the evidence is partially evaluated and found to be compelling, explain it away with a set of weak evidence, poor reasoning and misguided inferences (aka cognitive dissonance).
- Say, “It’s all beyond our control” and impute God’s will, or somebody else’s will, or externalise controls to various situational circumstances.
- Dig in like Alabama ticks!
- Distract themselves with other issues.
Just to be 200% clear, I said the human mind – I was not referring to anyone who is reading this article. My general observations have arisen from observing what normal and abnormally highly educated people do!
What’s next? I dunno.. but as the question has arisen, may I suggest self-isolation and nutting a stone wall.
Disclaimer & Guidance
The reading of posts on this blog is subject to the Terms & Conditions. Unpalatable truths and personal experiences may be told. Nothing posted on this blog is directed at any identifiable person. Should any person or organisation reading this blog find something that makes them feel or know that they are being referred to. Any such perceived identification is co-incidental – not factual. ‘Stupid‘ is an impish figment of my imagination who occasionally is allowed to pop up – and does not represent any known individual, individuals or groups. The treatment of ‘Stupid‘ is not representative of the way people are treated in real life. Adverse inferences made are dismissed in advance.
