Maybe the risk is in trying to argue for our positions more strongly than we actually feel them. More extreme positions feel higher-status… but then comes the moment when one realizes “oops, I actually don’t feel this”, and the pendulum swings to the opposite direction.
Sometimes we are pushed to an extreme position by people who argue for the opposite extreme position. They keep giving arguments for one side… and to argue with them, we focus on the arguments for the other side.
Of course we shouldn’t underestimate the impact of peer pressure. But that’s a bad reason to change opinions. On the other hand, realizing that one’s position isn’t truly as extreme as it seemed originally, and updating towards the true position, that is a good reason.
Maybe the risk is in trying to argue for our positions more strongly than we actually feel them. More extreme positions feel higher-status… but then comes the moment when one realizes “oops, I actually don’t feel this”, and the pendulum swings to the opposite direction.
Sometimes we are pushed to an extreme position by people who argue for the opposite extreme position. They keep giving arguments for one side… and to argue with them, we focus on the arguments for the other side.
Of course we shouldn’t underestimate the impact of peer pressure. But that’s a bad reason to change opinions. On the other hand, realizing that one’s position isn’t truly as extreme as it seemed originally, and updating towards the true position, that is a good reason.