Schopenhauer once said, "Do not let your mind become a racecourse for other people's thoughts."
The Universality of Rumors#
Comparison of Information Reception Patterns in Ancient and Modern Times#
In ancient times, when information was relatively scarce, people mainly read books such as various schools of thought and Jin Ping Mei. Most of these books were well-known and focused on Confucian classics. However, in today's era of information explosion, in addition to these books, there are various news, social media posts, tweets, public accounts, and even short-form articles like this one. In Schopenhauer's time, we could still clearly see how many horses were in our minds, so we were able to observe things in great detail, and therefore mostly understood and internalized other people's thoughts. But in modern times, our brains are filled with snippets of opinions every day, as if they have turned into a mouse's nest, densely packed and scattered everywhere.
The Universality of Rumors#
Indeed, in the era of social media, there are more people speaking up. And there are indeed many rumors being spread. For example, on Twitter, there was a rumor that the announcement of lithography machine information was imminent, but of course, the rumor was quickly debunked. Being fooled by fake news is partly due to the creators of the information, but also partly due to the spreaders of the information. Everyone projects their own opinions onto the information.
General Methods to Debunk Rumors#
However, these are all external factors that we cannot directly change. The key is to enhance our ability to discern truth from falsehood. For example, in the article "A rise in critical skills for sharing news online," it is mentioned that seeking consensus from opposing factions is important.
They cross-check sources and prefer news from different perspectives – especially those that are open about any bias.
Loss of Authority of Mainstream Media#
However, we are still easily influenced by the prevailing winds. Checking the source of information is a good habit, but even mainstream media is not reliable. Or rather, it is precisely the mainstream media that behaves differently when it matters. From the various factions that have emerged, the trust of the general public has been torn apart. As individuals caught in the midst of it all, we have become unwitting pawns of the prevailing opinions.
The Cost of "Don't Trust, Verify"#
"Don't Trust, Verify." Although this statement accurately describes the issue of the order of knowing between subject and object, the cost of verification is too high. Moreover, the essence and premise of making people believe is the infusion of information, whether you believe it or not, it is already in your mind. From the perspective of facts, this constitutes objective belief.
From Rumors to Deception#
The Ability to Believe the Truth#
There is no such thing as the ability to believe the truth, although I used to believe in it. But I paid a huge price for it. The reason why we are able to believe false information is because we believe we have the ability to distinguish truth from falsehood. From the perspective of objectivism, knowledge is a reflection of the object, an understanding of the natural order and social rules. This understanding will never surpass the object.
Separating Rumors from "Deception"#
We always pay a price for our beliefs, and the ones who speak never pay a price.
This is not just about factual rumors, but deeper values.
You may make wrong decisions because of the points I raised. And my points are inevitably mixed with my "private goods." This is the problem that arises as human society becomes more and more complex.
In politics, their means are to gain trust. Their rhetoric is like farting, just a means to seize power. And the consequences of the deception caused by their means, we are the ones who pay the price. They just wave their sleeves and blow away the stench.
The Essence of Deception Techniques#
In addition, take fraud as an example.
Fraud refers to the act of using deceptive methods to obtain a large amount of public or private property for the purpose of illegal possession. The basic structure of fraud (completed) consists of the following elements: the perpetrator engages in deceptive behavior towards the victim, causing the victim to have (or continue to maintain) a mistaken belief, based on this mistaken belief, the victim disposes of property, and the perpetrator or a third party obtains the property, resulting in financial loss to the victim. - Zhang Mingkai, Criminal Law
Any normal activity will have an external form, and what people believe is only the appearance, not the essence of a thing. Fraud is based on an understanding of the laws of subjective and objective knowledge, which is why it can succeed again and again. Although everyone's level of understanding is different, even the person with the highest awareness of fraud prevention will believe in certain external forms, but the external forms they believe in are more complex, making fraud more difficult.
Therefore, being deceived is inevitable. Obtaining true information will always be an ongoing game.
Of course, scams are just about money, but the implantation of values is even more deadly.
How to Deal with Ubiquitous Deception#
Anti-Groupthink#
Therefore, I am a person who opposes groupthink. This is also why many people abroad are afraid to associate with their fellow countrymen. Anti-groupthink does not mean being anti-social, but rather controlling the relationship between individuals and groups, and regaining control over our own minds. This is easier than changing the group and is a prerequisite for change.
Building a "Thick Barrier" between Oneself and the Group#
There is a saying that has been circulating online: "The ones who hope you improve are your parents, the ones who fear you improve too much are your relatives, and the ones who wish you ill are your colleagues. The people who advise you to be generous mostly have ulterior motives. The people who teach you how to make money mostly want to make money off you."
Therefore, in order to avoid being invaded by false information, we must build a "thick barrier" between ourselves and the group. Do not let ourselves become a racecourse for the "thoughts" of the group.
Do Not Let the Group Become the Carrier of Our Own Values#
Do not trust easily, do not place our own values on the group, and do not let the group become the carrier of our own values. At the societal level, we must rely on the group; but this is only a material relationship. As Tao Yuanming said, "Build a hut in the human world, but do not let the noise of carriages and horses disturb it." And this will also be the origin of the new relationship between individuals and the state.