|
|
|
|
|
|
by craig1f
1518 days ago
|
|
|
I think you have the right definition here. People aren't rational. They are rationalizers. Rational thinking is when you use facts and draw a conclusion. Rationalizing is when you have a conclusion, and you work backwards to justify it with rational-sounding arguments. Conspiracy theories start with some ridiculous conclusion, and work backwards to make it sound intelligent. It's not intelligent, but it SOUNDS intelligent. |
|
|
In college we had to read Freud's Civilization and its Discontents for a literature class. The only thing I remember about that entire book was him saying that no matter what, if people wanted to do something, they would find a way to rationalize it to themselves to avoid cognitive dissonance.
That one concept has been illustrated over and over in the 30 years since!