Why Facts Don’t Change Our Minds

[Kosh]

People are to lazy to look up facts, most of them just pick the narrative that appeals to their way of thinking.

It's a lot more complicated than that.  It's easy to say, oh they just don't want to do it, lazy, stupid, etc, but the fact is it goes against basic human psychology, not just to check facts but to give them a fair hearing.  

It's basically a learned skill, like reading.  People don't chose to read, they must be taught it, though a select few may just pick it up, that isn't how most people learn to read.  If people aren't taught the skills to examine their beliefs critically at a young age, they never even have a chance.  It isn't a choice, or laziness.  It's education (or lack-there-of).

I was going to disagree with you (because in this day and age, information is easily obtainable), but you got me with this.

If people aren't taught the skills to examine their beliefs critically at a young age, they never even have a chance.

I grew up in the 70's as the epitome of a latch key kid.  My parents were divorced, and my mom worked retail at a small town drug store.  My mother is not a smart or curious woman, and I honestly learned very little from her.  What I did have was ample free (me) time and a local library across the street.  Instead of going home and watching the one or two channels of TV we had, I went to the library and allowed my mind to wander. 

I think it's possible for children to learn this themselves.  A young mind is a curious mind.  What's worse than not being taught to think critically is to be taught to NOT think critically.