How Facts Backfire

In the Boston Globe, Joe Keohane wrote a summary of how our biases influence the new information we take in or fail to take in. These issues tend to polarize people, and, it turns out providing evidence can make people at both poles hold onto their conclusions more tightly. 

I have seen this occur before that no matter the evidence, facts, or opinions, people hold such firm views that nothing will ever influence them to change them. My brother is extremely defensive. My dad and him are similar with intelligence, but will argue over political views. The more and more my dad gives relays why his points are correct, the more my brother fires back with more to defend his own argument.

I personally cannot pinpoint a time where I changed a strong and firm opinion. This shows that Keohane's claim is valid and pertains to me and my behaviors. I always love to be right and to win so admitting that a belief I once had would be extremely difficult.

Chapters 2 and 3

In chapters two and three of "So You've Been Publicly Shamed," Jon Ronson shares the story and background of Michael Moynihan, a struggling journalist. Moynihan’s business life was spiraling downhill until he received a job to blog for The Washington Post. Ronson in depth describes how Moynihan plagiarizes a scientific writer named Jonah Lehrer, who was previously criticized of self-plagiarism himself. Moynihan read one of Lehrer’s book’s called Imangine: How Creativity Works. Moynihan’s intentions were to seek inspiration from a book that was associated with the process of Bob Dylan and his musical path. The book was based off of Bob Dylan’s ideas behind the song “Like a Rolling Stone.” Since Moynihan was a dedicated fan of Bob Dylan’s, he noticed many doubtful and debatable quotes said by Dylan and immediately shot an e-mail to Leher regarding them. Leher immediately returned an e-mail claiming that the quotes came from a legit source, but Moynihan was a skeptical one and did his own research.  Futhermore, Moynihan then published a blog on false information and plagiarism of Jonah Lehrer. As a result, this blog greatly affected both Lehrer and Moynihan. Thus, Lehrer’s writing career collapsed and he was in a state of suffrage. People ignored and showed him zero respect when this blog leaked. Moynihan felt absolutely terrible about what he turned Lehrer’s writing career into and was in a state of depression from his actions. In the following chapter, Ronson coordinates an interview about his personal side and view of the situation. Ronson just wanted to understand what it was like to be publicly shamed. At a Nights Foundation in Miami, Lehrer had arranged to deliver an apology to the public, that did not go smoothly. The public was the opposite of forgiving and were not even the slightest bit convinced that it was a sincere apology. Later on, Lehrer tried to publish another book which was he last chance to recover from the plagiarism. Yet, the book completely failed and his writing career was officially down the drain.

As a professional writer, Lehrer’s actions were extremely unethical. A writer has to create their own ideas, own story lines, legitimate quotations, and examples. Although ideas can stem from another work, it strictly has to be your own or cited properly with the consent of another writer. Plagiarism is automatically paired with severe ramifications and a lasting reputation, it is not worth it. As for Moynihan’s actions, they were necessary. He was bound to feel awful because he ruined one’s writing career with a blog, but this had to be released to the public. Moynihan’s actions were ethical because all people, writers especially, have to be responsible for their actions and mistakes. We are all human, and all make them. This is a chaotic situation for everyone and the outcome is not positive whatsoever for even Moynihan, but everyone is liable for their faults. If the article was never published, the lesson of plagiarism may not have been taught and understood. Sometimes it takes a whole messy situation for one to come to realization and reflect on what they did wrong. Suffrage and recovery are the ways one learns from their mistakes. Going through a period of public humiliation and shame is necessary for some people to never repeat the same mistakes again.

Today it is rainy and I am hungry