Gell-Mann Amnesia
October 10, 2018·5 comments·In Brief
You've been wrong about how you trust information. When you read an article about something you know intimately, you spot the errors immediately. The facts are backward. The motivations are inverted. The implications are backwards. Then you turn the page and read the next story as if it's reliable. You forget what you just learned.
• The credibility gap is one-directional. Everyone with expertise in their field has had the experience of seeing their domain covered catastrophically wrong by journalists. Yet almost no one carries this realization forward to articles about unfamiliar topics.
• We're wired to believe confident assertion. The presentation itself, when delivered by someone positioned as authoritative, becomes the fact. This is how narrative functions in the information ecosystem, regardless of what's actually true.
• Entertainment is not separate from this dynamic. The cultural products we consume construct reality at the same time they reflect it. The mechanisms that shape news also shape how we see ourselves through stories and film.
• Everyone playing the game knows the game is rigged. Institutions, journalists, filmmakers, commentators. Those with power to shape narrative are actively constructing it. Those without the power are being constructed by it.
• The question becomes whether we can recognize we're being played while we're still being played. Skepticism itself becomes exhausting and difficult once you see the mechanism. What does it mean to consume information critically in a system built specifically to bypass critical thinking?
The Why of Epsilon Theory
- Make more informed decisions as an investor and citizen.
- See through the nudges of Big Politics and Big Media.
- Become a better consumer of news.
- Maintain your autonomy of mind in a swarm of narratives.
- Join a community of more than 100,000 truth-seekers.
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DISCLOSURES
This commentary is being provided to you as general information only and should not be taken as investment advice. The opinions expressed in these materials represent the personal views of the author(s). It is not investment research or a research recommendation, as it does not constitute substantive research or analysis. Any action that you take as a result of information contained in this document is ultimately your responsibility. Epsilon Theory will not accept liability for any loss or damage, including without limitation to any loss of profit, which may arise directly or indirectly from use of or reliance on such information. Consult your investment advisor before making any investment decisions. It must be noted, that no one can accurately predict the future of the market with certainty or guarantee future investment performance. Past performance is not a guarantee of future results.
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