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Published May 5, 2022

662: Daniel J. Levitin | How to Think Critically in the Post-Truth Era

Cognitive psychologist Daniel J. Levitin reveals how to navigate the post-truth era by honing critical thinking skills, recognizing pseudo-expertise, and understanding the deceptive power of misleading data and media manipulation.
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  • Deceptive Visuals

    Visuals and data can be powerful tools for communication, but they can also be manipulated to deceive. explains how unlabeled graphs and misleading visuals can create false impressions, such as showing a steep profit increase with minimal actual change 1. He highlights examples from media, where graphs are used to mislead viewers by altering visual impressions without changing the underlying data 2.

    If the bar graph or the line graph has axes that aren't labeled, or if there are no numbers next to the tick marks, just ignore it because you could draw anything there if there are no numbers on it.

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    This manipulation exploits our natural tendency to seek patterns, making it crucial to critically evaluate the visuals we encounter.

       

    Ethical Manipulation

    Manipulation isn't always negative; it can sometimes serve a greater good. discusses scenarios where deception is used ethically, such as withholding the severity of a fire to prevent panic or keeping police operations confidential for public safety 3. He raises ethical dilemmas in medicine, where providing hope through selective truth-telling might improve patient outcomes.

    Is it ethical to tell them, "You're probably going to die," which could actually cause them to die because you put them into a depression?

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    These examples illustrate the complexity of ethical manipulation, urging us to consider the intentions and outcomes of such actions.

       

    Media's Role

    The media plays a significant role in shaping perceptions, often blurring the line between truth and deception. notes how pseudo-expertise and misinformation flood media channels, making it essential for individuals to critically assess the information presented 4. He shares a personal anecdote about a misattributed quote, highlighting how even filmmakers can fall prey to the illusion of knowledge 5.

    It's what you know for sure that just ain't so.

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    This underscores the importance of questioning and verifying information to combat the spread of falsehoods.

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