Dan Ariely

And think about the political discourse in the world or in the U.S. How much of our political discourse is not really about the facts? It's about shibboleth. It's about this idea of you might think that I'm saying this, but I'm actually thinking I'm saying something about identity to other people. If we think about example, Fox News.

And think about the political discourse in the world or in the U.S. How much of our political discourse is not really about the facts? It's about shibboleth. It's about this idea of you might think that I'm saying this, but I'm actually thinking I'm saying something about identity to other people. If we think about example, Fox News.

So in the last election, presidential election, Fox News said that Trump won the election and they stole the election from him. And they lost almost a billion dollars for the statement. But I think what they meant to say is, look what strong Trumpists we are. Now, because we know from their communication, they didn't believe that Trump won the election.

So in the last election, presidential election, Fox News said that Trump won the election and they stole the election from him. And they lost almost a billion dollars for the statement. But I think what they meant to say is, look what strong Trumpists we are. Now, because we know from their communication, they didn't believe that Trump won the election.

But what they wanted to say is they want to say, look, only people who are really strong believers of Trump will say something this extreme. Now, I'm not justifying what they said, but I'm saying if you look at it through that lens, it's much more understandable. Now, it had all kinds of downside effects because people thought they meant it literally, but they actually meant it to say,

But what they wanted to say is they want to say, look, only people who are really strong believers of Trump will say something this extreme. Now, I'm not justifying what they said, but I'm saying if you look at it through that lens, it's much more understandable. Now, it had all kinds of downside effects because people thought they meant it literally, but they actually meant it to say,

Look what Trump supporters we are. And these discussions on Shibboleth are very confusing because if you take it at face value, you're very confused. And if you repeat something, it might start with Shibboleth, but then become something that people accept as truth and then go down the line as well.

Look what Trump supporters we are. And these discussions on Shibboleth are very confusing because if you take it at face value, you're very confused. And if you repeat something, it might start with Shibboleth, but then become something that people accept as truth and then go down the line as well.

So we want a simple version of the world. This goes back to the stress. There's this test that I love. You show people a piece of paper with black and white dots organized in a random way. You say, do you see a figure? Yes or no. There's another one. Do you see a figure? And I show you 50 of those. And people see a few figures, not that many. What happens when stress goes up?

So we want a simple version of the world. This goes back to the stress. There's this test that I love. You show people a piece of paper with black and white dots organized in a random way. You say, do you see a figure? Yes or no. There's another one. Do you see a figure? And I show you 50 of those. And people see a few figures, not that many. What happens when stress goes up?

As stress goes up, people see more figures. Now, why is that? Imagine you're an animal, like many years in the past, our evolutionary past, you're an animal in the savanna and you think there's a tiger. Now, every movement of a leaf, you want to interpret it as if it's a tiger. When we are stressed, our system goes into hyperdrive to interpret everything as if it's a pattern.

As stress goes up, people see more figures. Now, why is that? Imagine you're an animal, like many years in the past, our evolutionary past, you're an animal in the savanna and you think there's a tiger. Now, every movement of a leaf, you want to interpret it as if it's a tiger. When we are stressed, our system goes into hyperdrive to interpret everything as if it's a pattern.

In regular life, you say, oh, there's all kinds of random things. But when you're stressed, you try very hard to see patterns. So we are very stressed. We are very stressed. We're concerned. We're not sure. And we are looking for patterns. We don't have the comfort to basically say, you know what? Let me hold judgment. I'm not yet sure what is really going on. We really want answers.

In regular life, you say, oh, there's all kinds of random things. But when you're stressed, you try very hard to see patterns. So we are very stressed. We are very stressed. We're concerned. We're not sure. And we are looking for patterns. We don't have the comfort to basically say, you know what? Let me hold judgment. I'm not yet sure what is really going on. We really want answers.

And by the way, a lot of these misbeliefs come because they give quick answers that calm people down. They also tell them it's not their fault. It's the villain's fault. And it makes them feel superior. So all of those things are very, very helpful.

And by the way, a lot of these misbeliefs come because they give quick answers that calm people down. They also tell them it's not their fault. It's the villain's fault. And it makes them feel superior. So all of those things are very, very helpful.

Very scary, and you're very right. So let's take a slightly different example. Think about the first time that somebody in the business world betrayed your trust. What did you want to do? You said, from now on, ironclad documents. I don't care. No handshakes anymore. From now on, everything goes through legal. Nobody would ever screw me over like this.

Very scary, and you're very right. So let's take a slightly different example. Think about the first time that somebody in the business world betrayed your trust. What did you want to do? You said, from now on, ironclad documents. I don't care. No handshakes anymore. From now on, everything goes through legal. Nobody would ever screw me over like this.

And then you stop and you think to yourself and you say, my goodness, I benefit a lot from trust. It's true from time to time, I'm going to lose. And the thing about it is that the screwed over is going to be very salient. And the gains I'm getting from trust are not as salient.

And then you stop and you think to yourself and you say, my goodness, I benefit a lot from trust. It's true from time to time, I'm going to lose. And the thing about it is that the screwed over is going to be very salient. And the gains I'm getting from trust are not as salient.