I think of it like asking someone if they’ve accepted Jesus. Some will be open to talking and thinking logically about it, and be open to the possibility of changing their beliefs. There are more like this out there than you think, they’re mostly apolitical, don’t really follow news/politics, and are usually smart but busy people.
Others are adamant in their positions, do not want to change, and if they bother to engage at all are really just trying to convert you to their side. People like these are not worth the time and are best avoided. Despite what you would think, they’re often above-average intelligence, and they have an easier time doing the mental gymnastics required to avoid cognitive dissonance than the average person (who often just “goes along” with whoever is around them in moment to avoid the effort of thinking too hard).
How to tell the difference between the two without investing more time and effort than it’s worth is the real challenge we face, IMO.
I think of it like asking someone if they’ve accepted Jesus. Some will be open to talking and thinking logically about it, and be open to the possibility of changing their beliefs. There are more like this out there than you think, they’re mostly apolitical, don’t really follow news/politics, and are usually smart but busy people.
Others are adamant in their positions, do not want to change, and if they bother to engage at all are really just trying to convert you to their side. People like these are not worth the time and are best avoided. Despite what you would think, they’re often above-average intelligence, and they have an easier time doing the mental gymnastics required to avoid cognitive dissonance than the average person (who often just “goes along” with whoever is around them in moment to avoid the effort of thinking too hard).
How to tell the difference between the two without investing more time and effort than it’s worth is the real challenge we face, IMO.