The recent attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump has merely demonstrated how deep-seated cognitive biases and social dynamics can shape how individuals interpret and respond to information. In many ways, this situation provides us with a stark illustration of what I’m now calling Mass Epistemic Rigidity. Indeed, this article runs the risk of being unpopular, but I feel compelled to offer a voice of reason through this lens. Take it for what it’s worth.

What is Mass Epistemic Rigidity?

Due to my evaluation of this event and the events leading up to it, and the endless blame being slung on both sides of the political aisle as a result, I am now coining the term Mass Epistemic Rigidity. This refers to the collective cognitive phenomenon where groups or communities resist discarding outdated or inaccurate information despite compelling evidence to the contrary. It appears as though this resistance is fueled by the same things that fuel Epistemic Rigidity on a personal level: a combination of cognitive biases, social influences, and the overwhelming influx of information from various sources. If you’re interested, you can learn more about Epistemic Rigidity by clicking here.

Because of what we now know about Epistemic Rigidity, I want to caution everyone against the temptation to misattribute blame in this situation (or any situation). While the temptation is undoubtedly significant, and while your trusted sources are likely to encourage such behavior, we must understand that this situation is nothing short of a seemingly predictable result of a terrible chain of cause and effect rooted in Epistemic Rigidity.

We are tearing ourselves apart, and for what? Who (really) wins here? Is your life better or worse because of these divisions? Who really gains from all of this? Or better yet, consider the following question: Is the average American gaining anything, or are we collectively losing? Temper your tribal influence, temper your emotional inclinations, and listen to reason to see this truth.

The Stage is Set

Many have succumbed to Authority Bias, which gives undue credibility to sources that reinforce their narrative of events. I’ve been seeing a lot of this in recent years, but definitely in the last few days. Understand that many are being manipulated into things that simply don’t align with what benefits them or even what our Founders wanted. Of course, the same people pushing such contortions are the same ones trying to make enemies out of your neighbors. That’s a clue, but they do this by manipulating your bias.

In this case, I want you to understand that this bias can lead to a swift dismissal of critical analysis, which merely reinforces initial judgments based on partisan loyalty. Think rationally for a second and ask yourself, exactly why do some Americans fear or hate Trump so much? While many conservatives believe that liberal fears about Trump are unwarranted, they need to understand that the fear is very real for those who feel it. However, and more importantly, they should recognize who (repeatedly) told these people to fear him in the first place and why. Dig deep – the answer isn’t so obvious.

Furthermore, Heuristic thinking, or affect heuristics, which is the reliance on mental shortcuts, further simplifies complex narratives into digestible interpretations that uphold existing beliefs. I see this on both sides, but for this discussion, we are talking about a situation where decisions are not optimal or even rational and are typically fueled by polarized or emotional views rather than an objective evaluation of the facts. I’ll just be blunt and say that we are all being divided from our neighbors for a reason that is not our own.

Clearly, and especially in this situation, there are many moving parts. However, I would offer the following advice: resist the urge to oversimplify and blame the wrong group(s) for this problem. In other words, don’t kill the lawn for the weeds – find the root of the weeds and pull.

To guard against Mass Epistemic Rigidity in this case, I would suggest that we seek diverse perspectives and critically and objectively evaluate the credibility of our information sources. The key is usually in the contrast. As I said, I have seen a lot of nonsense on social media coming from the right and the left, and quite a bit of it doesn’t make any logical sense whatsoever. Still, many believe the nonsense because their source is seen as credible (Authority Bias) – for reasons that I may never truly understand.

Remember that all things are a series of cause and effect. This is true both forward and backward. I understand these are emotional times, but we must all remember that emotion drives bias. Acknowledging the influence of authority bias and the limitations of heuristic thinking can help us assess such events more comprehensively and fairly, which ultimately helps to ensure strategic thinking over irrational or emotional thinking, which should help us more accurately identify the various weeds and formulate a strategic plan to save the lawn.

Reject the Rejection of Truth

Upon hearing the news of the assassination attempt, many exhibited immediate skepticism and denial without any real examination. They reclused into their tribes and clung to their narratives for safety. For example, some quickly dismissed the event as a hoax and compared previous transgressions, among many other things, all while the media significantly downplayed the attempt. Does that sound reasonable?

More importantly, does any of that solve the problem? I want you to understand that this reaction is rooted in Epistemic Rigidity. And while every component of the Epistemic Rigidity Wheel applies in this case, I would like to focus on Confirmation Bias for a second, a tendency to favor information that confirms pre-existing beliefs while disregarding contradictory evidence. This tendency has led many to external reflexive attribution of blame, which doesn’t help. Nonetheless, we have to understand that the attempt on Trump’s life is nothing short of a symptom of hate (a strong and easily manipulated emotion), a hate that has been encouraged, fostered, and fanned for some time. However, few seem to be asking, “Fanned by whom, really?”

To avoid falling victim to mass epistemic rigidity, we must call a spade a spade and critically examine all evidence (objectively) before forming any conclusions. This includes examining sources that you might not otherwise explore. Of course, recognizing the discomfort of Cognitive Dissonance is the first step toward more balanced reasoning. It’s not comfortable, but it is necessary. Similarly, by being aware of the tendency for Motivated Reasoning, individuals can better evaluate new information more objectively, even when it conflicts with their existing beliefs.

Don’t be so quick to play the “blame game” without some honest critical and self-evaluation. Doing so might help you see those who truly gain by negatively influencing your ideas or perceptions or encouraging your hate. Of course, this might also allow you to see some of the contortions that you’ve been sold.

A Caution to Everyone: Social Media and Information Overload

I want everyone to remember that social media platforms exacerbate Epistemic Rigidity by creating Echo Chambers, where users are exposed primarily to content that reinforces their existing beliefs while filtering out dissenting opinions. This selective exposure, combined with the vast amount of information available (info overload), can overwhelm individuals with conflicting narratives, making it challenging to evaluate new information and even consider alternative perspectives objectively.

At the same time, I want you to know that misinformation is more likely to come from your trusted groups and outlets. That’s a problem because your groups are open to anyone, and it’s really easy to infiltrate and make misinformation sound reasonable and keep you upset about unnecessary distractions that someone might provide you. Astroturfing is real! Remain skeptical and objective.

Fostering Open-Mindedness

Indeed, the attempted assassination of Donald Trump is tragic, unfortunate, uncalled for, infuriating, and entirely unnecessary. Unfortunately, everyone loses here. However, there are numerous contributing factors to consider, such as the myriad of negative and hateful influences on the shooter that led to the attempt. If you are going to blame anything, then blame that! However, you also need to ask what “that” is.

This situation (and its aftermath) serves as a poignant case study in Mass Epistemic Rigidity because it absolutely demonstrates just how deeply ingrained cognitive biases and social influences can shape public perception, reactions, and acts. Do we want to be “right,” or do we want to be “accurate?” If you want accuracy, and if you want this nonsense to stop, then understanding these phenomena is crucial for fostering a more reasonable approach to information consumption and interpretation. In other words, do we want to address the actual problem or merely fight about the symptoms?

It seems to me that both liberals and conservatives need to recognize the cognitive traps that can lead to Mass Epistemic Rigidity. Frankly, I believe that such traps are being overtly and purposefully exploited to divide the people and distract them from our bigger problems, such as inflationary theft, the Keynesian economic nightmare we find ourselves in, the erosion of personal power, and the dumbing down of America, among several others. However, there seems to be a common cause. Again, who gains and who loses? Only by acknowledging the role of this Epistemic Rigidity can individuals even attempt a more nuanced understanding of such a complex issue and find their way to truth.

Right now, neighbors need to promote constructive dialogue and informed decision-making, not knee-jerk nonsense and further division. The root of our problem is not found next door! They are not the ones making policy or profiting from this division. However, fully understanding this truth requires a conscious effort to critically examine one’s beliefs and actions and remain open to possibilities – things your trusted sources may discourage in the narratives they push.

If we are being honest with ourselves, then we must admit that the powerful in both parties are complicit, and you do not benefit from supporting their partisan nonsense. George Washington was absolutely accurate about the party system when he said “It serves always to distract the public councils and enfeeble the public administration. It agitates the community with ill-founded jealousies and false alarms, kindles the animosity of one part against another, foments occasionally riot and insurrection.” In other words, the party system always disrupts public decision-making and weakens the government. It stirs up unnecessary fears and false alarms, fuels hostility between groups, and sometimes leads to riots and uprisings. And here we are.

Indeed, anyone with a heart knows that the attempt on Trump’s life was horrible. Let’s all start there. We need balanced discourse and collective understanding if we truly want to solve these problems, and it starts with that common ground. That common ground here should be our ideal and collective outcome. At the end of the day, we all need to understand that we all just want to live our best lives in a free society. However, we must all accept that something is getting in the way of that dream, and it’s definitely not your neighbor.

That said, and while we must absolutely attempt to treat the pain that we’re all feeling right now, we should definitely NOT allow ourselves to ignore “the cancer” that’s spreading. However, I want you to remember that only through challenging our entrenched biases and by embracing intellectual humility can we as a society truly begin to see that the motivated finger-pointing merely distracts us from seeing that “cancer” – those who are motivated to keep us divided and distracted and those who gain for doing so.