so where do you go for facts I’ve been asking this question for years and
asking this question for years and
asking this question for years and obsessed with it and actually it started
obsessed with it and actually it started
obsessed with it and actually it started when I was a teenager my dad had this
when I was a teenager my dad had this
when I was a teenager my dad had this really interesting policy we couldn’t
really interesting policy we couldn’t
really interesting policy we couldn’t eat dinner unless we came to the table
eat dinner unless we came to the table
eat dinner unless we came to the table with a fact okay that was challenging
with a fact okay that was challenging
with a fact okay that was challenging right so I had an encyclopedia I knew
right so I had an encyclopedia I knew
right so I had an encyclopedia I knew how to do this I came to the table and I
how to do this I came to the table and I
how to do this I came to the table and I had a fact the capital of Bolivia is La
had a fact the capital of Bolivia is La
had a fact the capital of Bolivia is La Paz that worked well after a few days my
Paz that worked well after a few days my
Paz that worked well after a few days my dad was like you know what Danny I’m
dad was like you know what Danny I’m
dad was like you know what Danny I’m seeing a pattern here I know all of the
seeing a pattern here I know all of the
seeing a pattern here I know all of the capitals of South American countries be
capitals of South American countries be
capitals of South American countries be creative do something unique all right I
creative do something unique all right I
creative do something unique all right I got this covered so the next night I
got this covered so the next night I
got this covered so the next night I came back and I got this one
came back and I got this one
came back and I got this one Miles Davis is the greatest trumpet
Miles Davis is the greatest trumpet
Miles Davis is the greatest trumpet player that ever lived I was so proud of
player that ever lived I was so proud of
player that ever lived I was so proud of that and my dad had this funny look on
that and my dad had this funny look on
that and my dad had this funny look on his face and he went Danny that is not a
his face and he went Danny that is not a
his face and he went Danny that is not a fact that’s an opinion you’re getting
fact that’s an opinion you’re getting
fact that’s an opinion you’re getting facts and opinions confused it would be
facts and opinions confused it would be
facts and opinions confused it would be dad it’s it’s like it’s on the album
dad it’s it’s like it’s on the album
dad it’s it’s like it’s on the album he’s like no dinner for you and you know
he’s like no dinner for you and you know
he’s like no dinner for you and you know like most 15 year olds I was quite
like most 15 year olds I was quite
like most 15 year olds I was quite mature I thought and I I dealt with this
mature I thought and I I dealt with this
mature I thought and I I dealt with this in a mature way I said I hate you and I
in a mature way I said I hate you and I
in a mature way I said I hate you and I went to my room okay well many many
went to my room okay well many many
went to my room okay well many many years later it looks like dad was right
years later it looks like dad was right
years later it looks like dad was right and his inspiration made me go into
and his inspiration made me go into
and his inspiration made me go into becoming a college professor and
becoming a college professor and
becoming a college professor and teaching about facts doing research on
teaching about facts doing research on
teaching about facts doing research on critical thinking and we do have a
critical thinking and we do have a
critical thinking and we do have a problem we’re getting facts and opinions
problem we’re getting facts and opinions
problem we’re getting facts and opinions confused so let’s start with some
confused so let’s start with some
confused so let’s start with some clarity what is the fact a fact is a
clarity what is the fact a fact is a
clarity what is the fact a fact is a statement of information that is
statement of information that is
statement of information that is empirical which means observable
empirical which means observable
empirical which means observable objective and measurable this shirt is
objective and measurable this shirt is
objective and measurable this shirt is blue that is a fact not to be confused
blue that is a fact not to be confused
blue that is a fact not to be confused with an opinion
with an opinion
with an opinion which is none of those this shirt is
which is none of those this shirt is
which is none of those this shirt is awesome the shirt is amazing you can’t
awesome the shirt is amazing you can’t
awesome the shirt is amazing you can’t do that here and then the worst
do that here and then the worst
do that here and then the worst possibility the fake facts
possibility the fake facts
possibility the fake facts misinformation this shirt gives me super
misinformation this shirt gives me super
misinformation this shirt gives me super powers out no it doesn’t so what are we
powers out no it doesn’t so what are we
powers out no it doesn’t so what are we gonna do and how are we gonna get some
gonna do and how are we gonna get some
gonna do and how are we gonna get some clarity about facts well I decided to do
clarity about facts well I decided to do
clarity about facts well I decided to do some research looking at how people
some research looking at how people
some research looking at how people think about facts and what they do and
think about facts and what they do and
think about facts and what they do and how can they discriminate between what’s
how can they discriminate between what’s
how can they discriminate between what’s a fact what’s not a fact and we gave our
a fact what’s not a fact and we gave our
a fact what’s not a fact and we gave our subjects questions and actually
subjects questions and actually
subjects questions and actually statements that and we asked them to
statements that and we asked them to
statements that and we asked them to analyze them I’m going to give you an
analyze them I’m going to give you an
analyze them I’m going to give you an example of what we did with our subjects
example of what we did with our subjects
example of what we did with our subjects I’m gonna give you two statements one of
I’m gonna give you two statements one of
I’m gonna give you two statements one of the statements is true and one of the
the statements is true and one of the
the statements is true and one of the statements is not true okay raise your
statements is not true okay raise your
statements is not true okay raise your hand if you think this is true all bats
hand if you think this is true all bats
hand if you think this is true all bats are blind come on some of you got
are blind come on some of you got
are blind come on some of you got originally come on play with me here
originally come on play with me here
originally come on play with me here even if you don’t believe it alright the
even if you don’t believe it alright the
even if you don’t believe it alright the next one we only use 10% of our brain
next one we only use 10% of our brain
next one we only use 10% of our brain yeah there’s some hands I see some hands
yeah there’s some hands I see some hands
yeah there’s some hands I see some hands you don’t see them but yeah that’s
you don’t see them but yeah that’s
you don’t see them but yeah that’s plenty of hands out there well alright I
plenty of hands out there well alright I
plenty of hands out there well alright I lied
lied
lied both of these facts were not true but
both of these facts were not true but
both of these facts were not true but you know and not knowing that it’s not
you know and not knowing that it’s not
you know and not knowing that it’s not going to change your life but what was
going to change your life but what was
going to change your life but what was interesting is how you began to think
interesting is how you began to think
interesting is how you began to think about this and where you stored this and
about this and where you stored this and
about this and where you stored this and where this all comes from so what we did
where this all comes from so what we did
where this all comes from so what we did with our subjects we had subjects and we
with our subjects we had subjects and we
with our subjects we had subjects and we gave them 10 statements and we told them
gave them 10 statements and we told them
gave them 10 statements and we told them 5 of the statements we told them were
5 of the statements we told them were
5 of the statements we told them were true and 5 of the statements were not
true and 5 of the statements were not
true and 5 of the statements were not true and just like ye we lied none of
true and just like ye we lied none of
true and just like ye we lied none of the statements were true we also asked
the statements were true we also asked
the statements were true we also asked them to rate their confidence how
them to rate their confidence how
them to rate their confidence how confident they were in their facts now
confident they were in their facts now
confident they were in their facts now the other thing we did with our subjects
the other thing we did with our subjects
the other thing we did with our subjects we divided them into groups of five or
we divided them into groups of five or
we divided them into groups of five or an individual and that seemed to be
an individual and that seemed to be
an individual and that seemed to be interesting because number one the
interesting because number one the
interesting because number one the group’s the subjects in the groups of
group’s the subjects in the groups of
group’s the subjects in the groups of five tended to be a lot more confident
five tended to be a lot more confident
five tended to be a lot more confident in their fact than the individuals and
in their fact than the individuals and
in their fact than the individuals and the other thing that happened was when
the other thing that happened was when
the other thing that happened was when we told them that none of the facts were
we told them that none of the facts were
we told them that none of the facts were true the subjects in the
true the subjects in the
true the subjects in the were like you know I knew that was I
were like you know I knew that was I
were like you know I knew that was I knew that wasn’t true I really did but
knew that wasn’t true I really did but
knew that wasn’t true I really did but everybody in my group was so confident I
everybody in my group was so confident I
everybody in my group was so confident I just decided yeah that’s probably what
just decided yeah that’s probably what
just decided yeah that’s probably what it was what was happening here is a type
it was what was happening here is a type
it was what was happening here is a type of something we call in psychology
of something we call in psychology
of something we call in psychology confirmation bias confirmation bias
confirmation bias confirmation bias
confirmation bias confirmation bias happens when you have a belief and you
happens when you have a belief and you
happens when you have a belief and you look for support and information that
look for support and information that
look for support and information that supports your belief for example if you
supports your belief for example if you
supports your belief for example if you think vitamin C can cure your cold well
think vitamin C can cure your cold well
think vitamin C can cure your cold well you’re gonna look for information that
you’re gonna look for information that
you’re gonna look for information that supports that belief and our subjects
supports that belief and our subjects
supports that belief and our subjects fell into that category what was
fell into that category what was
fell into that category what was happening here with our subjects it was
happening here with our subjects it was
happening here with our subjects it was more important for them to agree with
more important for them to agree with
more important for them to agree with the other subjects than it was for the
the other subjects than it was for the
the other subjects than it was for the validity or the objectivity or the
validity or the objectivity or the
validity or the objectivity or the measure ability of the fact agreement
measure ability of the fact agreement
measure ability of the fact agreement was driving their decision social value
was driving their decision social value
was driving their decision social value was driving their decision and now
was driving their decision and now
was driving their decision and now there’s a whole bunch of emerging
there’s a whole bunch of emerging
there’s a whole bunch of emerging research that seems to say in
research that seems to say in
research that seems to say in neuroscience that our brain is involved
neuroscience that our brain is involved
neuroscience that our brain is involved in this when we agree our brain releases
in this when we agree our brain releases
in this when we agree our brain releases a neurotransmitter called dopamine you
a neurotransmitter called dopamine you
a neurotransmitter called dopamine you may have heard of dopamine you’re gonna
may have heard of dopamine you’re gonna
may have heard of dopamine you’re gonna dopamine squirt whenever somebody gives
dopamine squirt whenever somebody gives
dopamine squirt whenever somebody gives you a hug you get a dopamine squirt when
you a hug you get a dopamine squirt when
you a hug you get a dopamine squirt when your team wins and you get a dopamine
your team wins and you get a dopamine
your team wins and you get a dopamine squirt when you agree with somebody so
squirt when you agree with somebody so
squirt when you agree with somebody so now what is driving our understanding of
now what is driving our understanding of
now what is driving our understanding of facts are the social value of agreement
facts are the social value of agreement
facts are the social value of agreement and this biological imperative of
and this biological imperative of
and this biological imperative of dopamine squirts and we like to agree
dopamine squirts and we like to agree
dopamine squirts and we like to agree we’re a country of agree errs yeah there
we’re a country of agree errs yeah there
we’re a country of agree errs yeah there are some people who don’t agree they’re
are some people who don’t agree they’re
are some people who don’t agree they’re like become lawyers or Vice Principals
like become lawyers or Vice Principals
like become lawyers or Vice Principals look look it was the vice principal
look look it was the vice principal
look look it was the vice principal yesterday you were totally disagreed
yesterday you were totally disagreed
yesterday you were totally disagreed with that so that made sense actually
with that so that made sense actually
with that so that made sense actually and confirmation bias is not just
and confirmation bias is not just
and confirmation bias is not just something that happens to adults it
something that happens to adults it
something that happens to adults it happens when we’re kids I was talking to
happens when we’re kids I was talking to
happens when we’re kids I was talking to my grandson who just turned seven about
my grandson who just turned seven about
my grandson who just turned seven about Santa Claus and I was saying you know
Santa Claus and I was saying you know
Santa Claus and I was saying you know what Liam it takes us four hours to get
what Liam it takes us four hours to get
what Liam it takes us four hours to get to Grandma’s house right yeah but you’d
to Grandma’s house right yeah but you’d
to Grandma’s house right yeah but you’d claim that Santa Claus could make it
claim that Santa Claus could make it
claim that Santa Claus could make it around the world and one night how do
around the world and one night how do
around the world and one night how do you explain that and he said you know
you explain that and he said you know
you explain that and he said you know what pop up you know nothing about Santa
what pop up you know nothing about Santa
what pop up you know nothing about Santa Claus you you’re old
Claus you you’re old
Claus you you’re old he had a point but he also had another
he had a point but he also had another
he had a point but he also had another another thing about what he said led me
another thing about what he said led me
another thing about what he said led me to another barrier we have when it comes
to another barrier we have when it comes
to another barrier we have when it comes to fast and that has to do with the
to fast and that has to do with the
to fast and that has to do with the credibility of the source granted I am
credibility of the source granted I am
credibility of the source granted I am NOT a credible source when it comes to
NOT a credible source when it comes to
NOT a credible source when it comes to Santa Claus I admitted that but when it
Santa Claus I admitted that but when it
Santa Claus I admitted that but when it comes to facts what are we gonna do with
comes to facts what are we gonna do with
comes to facts what are we gonna do with all this all the sources were getting
all this all the sources were getting
all this all the sources were getting you know back in the 70s sorry I’m old
you know back in the 70s sorry I’m old
you know back in the 70s sorry I’m old as my friend son pointed out back in the
as my friend son pointed out back in the
as my friend son pointed out back in the 70s we had two sources of information
70s we had two sources of information
70s we had two sources of information for infor news claims and facts we had
for infor news claims and facts we had
for infor news claims and facts we had the newspaper where we had editorial
the newspaper where we had editorial
the newspaper where we had editorial boards with integrity newspaper stories
boards with integrity newspaper stories
boards with integrity newspaper stories did not get published unless it was
did not get published unless it was
did not get published unless it was vetted there was no such thing as fake
vetted there was no such thing as fake
vetted there was no such thing as fake news and then we had television we had
news and then we had television we had
news and then we had television we had Walter Cronkite you may know Walter the
Walter Cronkite you may know Walter the
Walter Cronkite you may know Walter the most trusted man in America when Walter
most trusted man in America when Walter
most trusted man in America when Walter said it everybody believed it was true
said it everybody believed it was true
said it everybody believed it was true there was no confusion we had confidence
there was no confusion we had confidence
there was no confusion we had confidence let’s come to the present and what do we
let’s come to the present and what do we
let’s come to the present and what do we have Google Twitter Facebook the
have Google Twitter Facebook the
have Google Twitter Facebook the blogosphere snapchat seriously people
blogosphere snapchat seriously people
blogosphere snapchat seriously people are getting their news from sources that
are getting their news from sources that
are getting their news from sources that are not vetted that are not curated do
are not vetted that are not curated do
are not vetted that are not curated do you know that Google has 3.5 billion
you know that Google has 3.5 billion
you know that Google has 3.5 billion hits a day 40,000 searches a second if
hits a day 40,000 searches a second if
hits a day 40,000 searches a second if you started tracking Google when I
you started tracking Google when I
you started tracking Google when I started talking we’d be well over a
started talking we’d be well over a
started talking we’d be well over a million searches with no control there’s
million searches with no control there’s
million searches with no control there’s no organization that checks what’s
no organization that checks what’s
no organization that checks what’s online this is a problem so what we’ve
online this is a problem so what we’ve
online this is a problem so what we’ve tried to do is come up with a way to at
tried to do is come up with a way to at
tried to do is come up with a way to at least get closer to the truth and to the
least get closer to the truth and to the
least get closer to the truth and to the facts and the information we get every
facts and the information we get every
facts and the information we get every day from the internet the first thing
day from the internet the first thing
day from the internet the first thing we’ve thought about was something called
we’ve thought about was something called
we’ve thought about was something called inoculation know you don’t have to get a
inoculation know you don’t have to get a
inoculation know you don’t have to get a shot but we use it as a metaphor
shot but we use it as a metaphor
shot but we use it as a metaphor inoculation you go to the doctor
inoculation you go to the doctor
inoculation you go to the doctor prevents the flu well in social
prevents the flu well in social
prevents the flu well in social psychology we use inoculation to
psychology we use inoculation to
psychology we use inoculation to describe what happens with persuasion a
describe what happens with persuasion a
describe what happens with persuasion a lot of times in persuasion you just get
lot of times in persuasion you just get
lot of times in persuasion you just get one-sided arguments so researchers have
one-sided arguments so researchers have
one-sided arguments so researchers have found that if we force people to look at
found that if we force people to look at
found that if we force people to look at another perspective get out of there
another perspective get out of there
another perspective get out of there come
come
come zone it protects them against the dogma
zone it protects them against the dogma
zone it protects them against the dogma of the one-sided argument and think
of the one-sided argument and think
of the one-sided argument and think about Facebook you’re in in this echo
about Facebook you’re in in this echo
about Facebook you’re in in this echo chamber where you’re around people who
chamber where you’re around people who
chamber where you’re around people who agree with you you’re getting new
agree with you you’re getting new
agree with you you’re getting new stories that you agree with you’ve got
stories that you agree with you’ve got
stories that you agree with you’ve got to get outside that zone and look for
to get outside that zone and look for
to get outside that zone and look for different perspectives alternative
different perspectives alternative
different perspectives alternative explanations it may not change your mind
explanations it may not change your mind
explanations it may not change your mind but at least it gives you a start of
but at least it gives you a start of
but at least it gives you a start of looking a sort of other perspective
looking a sort of other perspective
looking a sort of other perspective another thing we are a nation of lazy
another thing we are a nation of lazy
another thing we are a nation of lazy clickers we like to go to that first
clickers we like to go to that first
clickers we like to go to that first page of Google and stop there and when
page of Google and stop there and when
page of Google and stop there and when we asked our subjects about that they
we asked our subjects about that they
we asked our subjects about that they said yeah the first page it must be true
said yeah the first page it must be true
said yeah the first page it must be true that’s on the first page no that’s not
that’s on the first page no that’s not
that’s on the first page no that’s not true
true
true when you go on a search for Google on a
when you go on a search for Google on a
when you go on a search for Google on a Google search and looking at links you
Google search and looking at links you
Google search and looking at links you need to go to the third page the fourth
need to go to the third page the fourth
need to go to the third page the fourth page beyond those first pages there’s
page beyond those first pages there’s
page beyond those first pages there’s something called Google Scholar which
something called Google Scholar which
something called Google Scholar which provides you with peer-reviewed articles
provides you with peer-reviewed articles
provides you with peer-reviewed articles that are done by people who’ve done
that are done by people who’ve done
that are done by people who’ve done research and that you had a very very
research and that you had a very very
research and that you had a very very good chance that that information has
good chance that that information has
good chance that that information has been vetted and then there’s another
been vetted and then there’s another
been vetted and then there’s another feature called verbatim you may not know
feature called verbatim you may not know
feature called verbatim you may not know about verbatim is really cool because it
about verbatim is really cool because it
about verbatim is really cool because it filters out your search so that the only
filters out your search so that the only
filters out your search so that the only words the words that you use in your
words the words that you use in your
words the words that you use in your search take you to websites that have
search take you to websites that have
search take you to websites that have all those words and not some random
all those words and not some random
all those words and not some random words to take you some random crazy
words to take you some random crazy
words to take you some random crazy website all right and the next experts
website all right and the next experts
website all right and the next experts what’s going on with experts I mean over
what’s going on with experts I mean over
what’s going on with experts I mean over the last two years they’ve actually been
the last two years they’ve actually been
the last two years they’ve actually been books written about this that we don’t
books written about this that we don’t
books written about this that we don’t rely on experts we don’t need experts we
rely on experts we don’t need experts we
rely on experts we don’t need experts we got WebMD who needs to go to the doctor
got WebMD who needs to go to the doctor
got WebMD who needs to go to the doctor okay you need experts experts have done
okay you need experts experts have done
okay you need experts experts have done their whole spent their whole career
their whole spent their whole career
their whole spent their whole career doing research in areas that we have no
doing research in areas that we have no
doing research in areas that we have no knowledge of experts are important I
knowledge of experts are important I
knowledge of experts are important I mean who do you want flying your planes
mean who do you want flying your planes
mean who do you want flying your planes Sully or some guy who just got his
Sully or some guy who just got his
Sully or some guy who just got his license who do you want doing your
license who do you want doing your
license who do you want doing your surgery an expert right who do you want
surgery an expert right who do you want
surgery an expert right who do you want fixing your car an expert so why not
fixing your car an expert so why not
fixing your car an expert so why not when you go online check for the experts
when you go online check for the experts
when you go online check for the experts so the source of the articles or the
so the source of the articles or the
so the source of the articles or the claims that are being made that’s there
claims that are being made that’s there
claims that are being made that’s there and by the way if you can’t find a
and by the way if you can’t find a
and by the way if you can’t find a credible source associated with a claim
credible source associated with a claim
credible source associated with a claim or a fact online that fact is not true
or a fact online that fact is not true
or a fact online that fact is not true so assume that that expert knows what
so assume that that expert knows what
so assume that that expert knows what he’s talking about give them some human
he’s talking about give them some human
he’s talking about give them some human chance or her chance Oh
chance or her chance Oh
chance or her chance Oh okay so the next time you go online I’m
okay so the next time you go online I’m
okay so the next time you go online I’m going to ask you to do three things
going to ask you to do three things
going to ask you to do three things inoculate don’t be a lazy clicker and
inoculate don’t be a lazy clicker and
inoculate don’t be a lazy clicker and trust experts they know what they’re
trust experts they know what they’re
trust experts they know what they’re talking about they fill in the knowledge
talking about they fill in the knowledge
talking about they fill in the knowledge that you don’t know all right well I’m
that you don’t know all right well I’m
that you don’t know all right well I’m going to conclude with a quote and I
going to conclude with a quote and I
going to conclude with a quote and I find this ironic because the quote has
find this ironic because the quote has
find this ironic because the quote has been associated with Mark Twain and Will
been associated with Mark Twain and Will
been associated with Mark Twain and Will Rogers and fact-checking tells us that
Rogers and fact-checking tells us that
Rogers and fact-checking tells us that neither one of these guys said this it’s
neither one of these guys said this it’s
neither one of these guys said this it’s crazy man it was in a movie in an ad
crazy man it was in a movie in an ad
crazy man it was in a movie in an ad Mark Twain it’s like no he didn’t say it
Mark Twain it’s like no he didn’t say it
Mark Twain it’s like no he didn’t say it somebody said this so here’s something
somebody said this so here’s something
somebody said this so here’s something you can do when you do your google
you can do when you do your google
you can do when you do your google search later find out who said this
search later find out who said this
search later find out who said this quote because I think it does a great
quote because I think it does a great
quote because I think it does a great summary of what I’ve been trying to tell
summary of what I’ve been trying to tell
summary of what I’ve been trying to tell you and here’s the quote it’s not what
you and here’s the quote it’s not what
you and here’s the quote it’s not what you don’t know that gets you in trouble
you don’t know that gets you in trouble
you don’t know that gets you in trouble it’s what you know for sure but ain’t so
it’s what you know for sure but ain’t so
it’s what you know for sure but ain’t so thank you
”
Be First to Comment