Introduction
Ever found yourself in a heated debate in a chat group or public post comment column, only to realize later that something felt a bit off? Maybe you realized the other person actually made sense, but you totally rejected them just because their vibe was annoying. Or maybe you defended an idea to the death just because everyone in your circle said it was the truth.
Let’s be real, we’ve all been there. We like to think we are the most rational beings on earth. But in reality, we often slip into logical fallacies without even realizing it, even when we think we are thinking clearly. So why is our sophisticated brain so prone to tripping over itself?
Our Brains are Actually "Cheap"
If we look at the science, this tendency to fall for logical fallacies doesn't mean we are not smart. It’s actually because our brains are designed for efficiency. In cognitive psychology, there is a concept called "The Cognitive Miser." Researchers Susan Fiske and Shelley Taylor popularized this back in 1991. The gist is simple: thinking critically and logically burns a lot of glucose. Because the brain wants to save energy, it often takes shortcuts.
Daniel Kahneman, a Nobel Prize winner, explains this brilliantly in his book Thinking, Fast and Slow:
- System 1 (Fast): Intuitive, emotional, automatic, but often biased.
- System 2 (Slow): Logical, calculated, but requires serious effort.
The problem is, in daily life, especially when we are doomscrolling on social media, we are almost always using System 1. A study from the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology shows humans have a natural tendency called Confirmation Bias. We don't search for the truth; we search for info that validates what we already believe.
So when we do Cherry Picking (only taking data that supports our argument), it’s not because we are being toxic. It’s because our brain is in "power saving mode" and refuses to process info that goes against our beliefs.
The Ego Trap and Identity
So, why is it so hard to become self-aware? Why does it hurt so much to admit our argument is flawed?
The most logical reflection is this: we often tie our arguments to our identity. When someone attacks our argument, our brain translates it as an attack on us personally. This is what triggers Ad Hominem (attacking the person, not the point) or Tu Quoque ("Well, you did it too!"). We feel the need to protect our ego, so logic gets tossed out the window for the sake of self-defense.
In the digital age, algorithms make this way worse. We are surrounded by people who agree with us in Echo Chambers. As a result, fallacies like the Bandwagon Fallacy (jumping on the trend because everyone else believes it) become our daily bread. We feel safe in the crowd, and collective logic often replaces individual critical thinking.
Without realizing it, we aren't debating to find the truth. We are basically fighting for validation and clout.
I also wrote about the echo chamber if you are interested in visiting it 😗
The Solution: Training Your Logic "Muscles"
The good news is that logical fallacies aren't a life sentence. It’s a habit we can change, though it takes extra effort to switch on "System 2" in our brains. Here are a few reflective moves we can try:
- The Pause: Before clapping back at an argument or sharing news, stop for 10 seconds. Ask yourself, "Am I mad because the facts are wrong, or is my ego just bruised?"
- Try "Steelmanning," not "Strawmanning": Most people do Strawman arguments (making the opponent look weak so they are easy to roast). Try the opposite: Steelmanning. Build the opponent's argument as strong as possible in your head until you get their POV. If you still disagree after that, then your argument is actually valid.
- Intellectual Humility: Have some intellectual humility. Admitting "I might be wrong" or "I don't know enough about this yet" isn't an L. It’s actually a major flex and a sign of maturity.
Conclusion
At the end of the day, being logical isn't a natural talent; it's a skill you gotta grind for life. We will never be 100% free of logical fallacies because we are humans with feelings, not AI programmed with perfect algorithms.
However, by realizing that our brain loves shortcuts and our ego loves to interfere, we can be a little wiser. Next time we feel absolutely right in a debate, maybe that’s the perfect time to look in the mirror and ask: "Is this logic, or just emotions in disguise?"
