Why Some Believe in Lies

Critical Thinking

What happened in Washington DC on January 6^th was something totally unexpected. An unruly mob of about forty thousand attacked the Capitol building to overthrow a democratically elected government. A “stolen election” was a fabricated lie, without evidence. There were recounts, audits, and investigations on the alleged voter fraud. But no evidence was presented of large-scale fraud to change the outcome. About 90 judges in over 60 court cases ruled against the challenges to election results for lack of evidence. Still, a large portion of the population believes the election was somehow rigged. That is because the leaders are telling them so. How can people be manipulated and controlled to commit insurrection in the capital of the USA in 2021 is something to be researched and studied. How can you make so many people believe in a lie?

There are published papers on the type of people who fall victims to mind control, brain-washing, peer pressure, and coercive persuasion. People who lack self-confidence, with low self-esteem, a weak sense of identity, with experience of guilt, and without critical thinking are most vulnerable to manipulation. They do not know how to evaluate new information and form an opinion. They need the help of an authoritative person to explain complex issues. It could be a political figure or a spiritual leader or a Media source. When they trust such a person and act upon their instructions, the mind control begins. That is the same techniques used by cult leaders to take advantage of their members. Meta communication, guilty feeling, self-criticism, fear, distrust, suspicion, skepticism, self-doubt, and other methods are applied to bring the followers to submission.

Exercising Critical thinking helps people to evaluate information independently and solve complex problems without outside influence. Researching and learning more about a subject is essential to get accurate information. Observation and analysis skills help to make well-educated decisions and inferences. Looking from a different angle gives a better picture. A well-informed person can logically apply ideas and find inconsistencies in other’s arguments. They can spot fake news and identify distortion of facts. They can successfully withstand an onslaught of brain-washing techniques and mind control methods. They are not easily manipulated or encouraged to act on someone else’s self-interest.