Why rationality (almost) never wins

Photo by BĀBI

I keep making a critical mistake. I keep thinking that rationality can win over people. But the reality is that more often than not, people make up their minds based on emotion, not facts.

Take for example disinformation campaigns. They aren’t exactly built on logic, or reasoned arguments. They tend to be rooted in emotion and employ techniques to overwhelm our rational brain. They use evocative images and music, in addition to provocative language. It’s all designed to invoke an emotional response and bypass the brain’s logical center.

When our brains are exposed to emotionally charged stimuli, the limbic system, which governs our emotions, can be hijacked. This can be confirmed by using fMRI scans which show (in numerous studies) that when people become emotional, their prefrontal cortex (which is responsible for rational thinking) reveals a reduction in activity, whereas the amygdala (which processes emotions) lights up.

That’s why countering propaganda or disinformation…