A nadie le importa la verdad | Rocío Vidal | TEDxMálaga

Summary

In this TED Talk, the speaker humorously addresses the challenge of changing one's mind due to cognitive biases, particularly confirmation bias. She shares personal anecdotes, from her childhood curiosity to her adolescent gullibility, leading to her advocacy for critical thinking. The speaker, a science communicator, highlights the impact of social media echo chambers and the power of data manipulation in shaping public opinion. She calls for awareness, critical thinking, and open-mindedness to counteract these influences, emphasizing the importance of questioning and engaging with diverse perspectives for personal growth and societal progress.

Takeaways

• 😀 People find it hard to change their opinions due to confirmation bias.
• 🤔 Confirmation bias leads us to favor information that confirms our existing beliefs.
• 🧠 This bias causes people to ignore or reject ideas that challenge their beliefs.
• 📖 Critical thinking is essential for overcoming confirmation bias.
• 🧐 The speaker struggled with accepting things without reasoning during childhood, which shaped their critical thinking.
• 💡 The speaker realized their past belief in pseudoscience, like the Power Balance bracelet and the Law of Attraction, was misguided.
• 🎓 Studying journalism revealed that true objectivity is impossible due to personal biases.
• 📊 The speaker emphasizes the importance of science communication to help people think critically and question their beliefs.
• 🔍 On social media, people are often trapped in echo chambers, only engaging with ideas that reinforce their beliefs.
• 👂 The speaker encourages listening to opposing views, as they help identify weaknesses in one’s own ideas and beliefs.

Q & A

What is the main theme of the TED Talk?

The main theme of the TED Talk is the struggle between confirmation bias and critical thinking, and how it affects our perception of reality and decision-making.

What is confirmation bias, as mentioned in the talk?

Confirmation bias is a cognitive bias that leads people to favor information that confirms their existing beliefs or values, and to ignore or dismiss evidence that contradicts them.

How does the speaker describe her childhood inquisitiveness?

The speaker describes her childhood as being undisciplined and very inquisitive, often asking questions and seeking explanations for things she did not understand.

What was the speaker's initial stance on Power Balance bracelets during her adolescence?

During her adolescence, the speaker was a strong supporter of Power Balance bracelets, believing they provided superpowers and health benefits, which was later revealed to be a scam.

What is the 'Law of Attraction' that the speaker mentioned in her talk?

The 'Law of Attraction' is a concept from the book 'The Secret', suggesting that by focusing on positive or negative thoughts, one can bring about positive or negative results.

Why did the speaker choose to study journalism at university?

The speaker chose to study journalism to discover what constitutes information, data, and how to transmit things objectively, aiming to contribute to balancing the scales of biased reality.

What is 'La gata de Schrodinger', as referenced in the talk?

'La gata de Schrodinger' is a science and critical thinking channel created by the speaker, with the intention of sparking curiosity and making people think.

How does the speaker describe the current state of online discourse?

The speaker describes the current state of online discourse as being dominated by ideological packs and echo chambers, where people are slaves to their own opinions and rarely question their beliefs.

What is the 'elephant and rider' metaphor used by Jonathan Haidt?

The 'elephant and rider' metaphor by Jonathan Haidt suggests that our intuition (the elephant) quickly forms an opinion about new information, and our reasoning (the rider) then justifies that initial reaction.

What is the speaker's view on the role of critical thinking in the face of confirmation bias?

The speaker believes that while the battle against confirmation bias is inherently challenging, it is a fight worth engaging in to achieve freedom of thought and to be open to different perspectives.

What does the speaker suggest as a way to improve critical thinking and scientific literacy?

The speaker suggests that we should foster curiosity from a young age, present knowledge in an attractive and accessible way, and engage with different perspectives, including those that challenge our own beliefs.