Beware of Falling Victim to the Confirmation Cognitive Bias

[MineralMan]

You like a particular primary candidate. You follow news about that candidate. You see the candidate holding rallies where he or she gets applause and people wave signs. You think your favorite candidate is terrific.

The Confirmation bias can make you think that everyone feels the same way you do. That's a normal reaction, but it can lead you astray. That rally was, maybe, 1000 people who also like your favorite candidate. There's good news about all of the candidates. It's easy to start thinking that there's no way your candidate can lose.

Don't be deceived by what you prefer or who you see some others prefer. Look around carefully. Each candidate has fans who show up at rallies, wave signs, and cheer. They think their candidate is the best. They can't understand why you like the one you support. They are also biased by things that confirm their viewpoint.

Keep a clear head and take a wide view of the primary race. There are 16 candidates out there, each with a horde of enthusiastic supporters. Your favorite is just one of them.

[McCamy Taylor]

1. To put it more plainly--no primary food fight, please.

Act like grown ups.

[MineralMan]

2. Yes, please...

[RKP5637]

3. Excellent advice!!!!! n/t

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

4. And, a bit of related advice - don't insult people who prefer a candidate other than your favorite.

While all Democrats presumably support the same basic principles and policies - like health care for everyone, gun control, combatting climate change and protecting the environment, a fair tax system that requires more of the wealthy, etc. - there are a variety of ways to reach these goals, and we all have different life experiences which will influence how we make political decisions, like choosing a candidate. If my child or my friend was killed or injured in a school shooting I'm probably going to pay especially close attention to a candidate who takes a strong position on gun control. If I have a trans child who's bullied at school and can't even use a bathroom I'll be looking for someone who emphasizes LGTB rights. If my black teenager was murdered by the police, racial discrimination in law enforcement will be my most important issue. If I have a chronically ill family member whose medical expenses have become unaffordable I'll be looking for a candidate who offers a sensible solution to the problem of health care access. This isn't to say that if you care especially strongly about a particular issue it means you don't care about the others - but what happens in your own life will certainly influence your choices.

So, if I express strong support for Candidate A, and I explain my reasons, please don't suggest that I'm a fool for supporting A when B is clearly a better candidate (in your opinion, based on your life experience and philosophy, which isn't the same as mine). Tell me, clearly and rationally, why you think Candidate B will solve the problem that concerns me. Don't give me your snide little LOL or tell me I'm a moron, a troll, a Republican or a Russian bot.

The other day I posted in a thread asking whether there were any candidates you would not support in the primaries. I added my two cents' worth and explained at least one of my reasons - and somebody responded with nothing but "LOL," clearly intending to suggest that my decision and my reasons for it were laughable. Don't do that shit. Disagree but don't be disagreeable, condescending or mean. In 2016 things got a bit out of hand on DU, and probably elsewhere, because people (including me, for which I am sorry) got snarky and nasty and took out their dislike for or disagreement with a candidate on that candidate's supporters. It's starting to happen again. Let's not do it this time; we need strong support behind whichever candidate finally pulls ahead. And whoever that turns out to be, I expect I'm going to be happy to support them. I hope everyone else will be, too.

[MineralMan]

5. Excellent addition to the thread.

[betsuni]

6. THANK YOU!

It's especially silly to call someone supporting and defending Democrats on a forum for Democrats a troll, Republican, or bot; calling direct quotes by a candidate an attack or fake news; attacking the source of an unfavorable news story -- CNN is "corporate media conglomerate spin" and digging up dirt on somebody on Twitter who retweeted something -- as deflection. Those are the ones calling everybody else stupid.