Fear of learning

[robvalue]

It is well known that people can have a tendency to seek out things that reinforce their beliefs, and ignore or avoid things that go against their beliefs. Even the most logical of us has probably been guilty of this, maybe without even realising it, to some degree.

I've been thinking about this, and I realized this could account for what appears to be fear of learning. If someone reaches a position where they are comfortable with their beliefs, and especially where they have been living by those beliefs for a long time, there is a big emotional incentive to actively avoid situations which may seriously challenge those beliefs.

The example we often see is evolution. Although some religious people find a way to combine evolution with their mythology, for many people, accepting evolution would be a mighty blow to their beliefs. I think such people worry that if they start properly researching evolution, there is a chance they could become convinced it is true. Whereas if they keep the hell away from reliable sources, they can keep their beliefs going. We see it constantly on this forum. People will spend hours and hours writing shit about evolution here, but it's clear they have not spent one minute looking at a science book first. People also often accept other areas of science without any sort of fight, but put up massive barriers against evolution.

Here is the crucial part: I think it's possible that this fear gets rationalised in the mind (perhaps without the person even being aware) by the idea that such material isn't worth looking at because it will be wrong. I say this because I noticed myself doing it recently. I was looking for evidence for something, and I had an emotional response to articles that may challenge the belief I was trying to reinforce. My explanation to myself, at the time, was that they were wrong. Not worth reading. But looking back, it was really fear. I was scared my beliefs would change, or at least be seriously challenged.

If someone as anal and self-proclaimed sceptical as me can be guilty of it, I can't imagine how much more powerful this emotional force would be for a fundamental belief that has been held for an entire lifetime.

It brings us back to the same question: do you care about what is true, or about what is comfortable? In the above situation, clearly I cared more about what was comfortable. I recognise that, and I will attempt to rectify this behaviour in the future should I notice it happening again.

If you really do care about what is true, there should be no fear of learning or researching. How honest we are with ourselves about this is what is in question. Clearly, I have not been being totally honest with myself.

[Athene]

Give it me straight. I need to know what I'm dealing with. 

I do make a conscious effort to be mindful of my own personal biases when I'm researching anything of significant importance. I's very easy to fall into that pattern, without realizing it.

Don't beat yourself up about it, though. It's a human tendency; who do we lie to more than ourselves? Self-awareness is half the battle, vigilance takes care of the rest.

Good post, Rob!

[robvalue]

Thank you

The thing I was researching was of no real importance to anything, and my beliefs about it don't matter at all. Kind of weird. It just happened to be the way I found out about this bias in myself. It was only because I didn't want to be wrong about it.

It's rather embarrassing... I was looking for confirmation that the gospels are not recognised as eye witness accounts.

The idea of learning about yourself is a strange one, but it's a lifelong project!

[brewer]

For a lot of people Rob, ignorance is bliss. I interact with them all the time. Trying to educate is a waste of time. As you said, they are comfortable in their world and see no need for change.

[robvalue]

Yeah. The weird thing is when theists come here, because you'd think that they would be seeking out a genuine challenge to their beliefs. But almost always, they take no real notice of what we say and just bleat on endlessly about nonsense. Why they do this, I have no idea. I guess it makes them feel good.

Of course there are those exceptional lovely theists who actually talk to us like humans

[Thumpalumpacus]

On an intellectual level, of course I prefer learning the truth. But like you, I've noticed my own preference for information which supports the conclusions I already hold. It's, I think, a pretty normal urge in humans. Knowing that it is there helps arm us against the complacency and limited horizons which await those who see only what they wish to see.

[brewer]

Yeah. The weird thing is when theists come here, because you'd think that they would be seeking out a genuine challenge to their beliefs. But almost always, they take no real notice of what we say and just bleat on endlessly about nonsense. Why they do this, I have no idea. I guess it makes them feel good.

Of course there are those exceptional lovely theists who actually talk to us like humans

I agree, we do have a few excellent theists here.

For the rest I can only guess at the motive. Express false superiority, fantasy conversion delusion, the intenet's next Jim Jones, ..........?

[drfuzzy]

Yes, this is a very human tendency.  I'm susceptible to it as an atheist. (I would love to think that I have a much-more open mind, but just get me started about issues I feel passionately about:  political, feminist, ecological, etc.) and I'm just as likely to dismiss someone offering a different opinion as "stupid" instead of listening to their points.   So I'm still working on it.

This tendency is why we have a lot of religious children (at least here in the US) being home-schooled.  Their parents want to indoctrinate their children into their religion, while shielding them from all other points of view.  

I remember, even in the 70's, hearing preachers tell their congregations to not let their children go to college.  They were likely to "get all sorts of ideas in their heads and they'll start thinking they're smarter than god".   I pity the kids who didn't get to go LEARN somethin'.

[dyresand]

Everyone is literally smarter than the biblical god even his own followers even if they
don't admit it they are smarter than the god of the bible learning it's good for you.

[vorlon13]

In the Mormon orbit, you don't even get to the fear of learning.

The church hierarchy informs the pew warmers the thinking has already been done, and in any regard, they are indemnified from church error anyhow.