The Performance Of Intelligence
Geopolitical events like war invite every kind of opinion. They invite every kind of participant. There is a war of information, especially on social media, but really everywhere you go. Everyone wants to have the upper hand in expressing their opinion, their unique take.
Most of the time, the source of this information is the internet. YouTube. Instagram. Twitter. These platforms run on user-generated content, which means everything you consume is someone’s opinion. How they use the facts is their prerogative. You consume that, thinking you now possess deeper knowledge. Then you use that knowledge to one-up someone else.
You do it for prestige, for your two minutes of fame. But if everyone is doing the same exercise, who is right? That is why perspectives diverge so sharply. Whoever has the most followers dictates the terms. People have no idea how to consume content. One would think that with so much content available, we would at least be mindful of how we consume it.
Even when reminded to verify before accepting something as true, most people do not. Instead, they latch onto a single source that is generally considered reliable. Critical thinking, especially the ability to question one’s own opinions, is largely absent.
Everyone believes they are right. Ironically, that is precisely what makes them wrong. There is nothing inherently wrong with consuming content on YouTube or learning from someone’s perspective. But how do you determine what constitutes a true perspective?
A cleverly framed opinion is not enough. A point that merely feels valid to you is not enough. Academic discourse itself is flooded with engineered narratives, where facts are selectively arranged to accommodate pre-existing beliefs.
Most people form an opinion first, then chase facts that support it. They select only those viewpoints that align with their existing biases, and end up believing they are intellectual.
For instance, if I already dislike a person, I will gather all the facts that reinforce the idea that this person deserves that dislike. But that is flawed. If I do not explore the other side, if I do not understand what makes someone else admire that same person, my opinion cannot be trusted.
A true intellectual examines what exists on the other side. What do others think? Every issue has at least two sides, and often a neutral one. If you are aware of your own bias, then you must engage with both the opposing and the neutral perspectives.
But engaging with opposing views is uncomfortable. Some people cannot even listen to a contrarian opinion. It offends their sensibilities. It unsettles them to the point of visible discomfort. If you are one of them, you should refrain from forming firm opinions.
The next time you go on YouTube to acquire knowledge, watch one more video that presents the other side of the argument. Only when you have engaged with at least two sides can you claim to understand the full story.
Knowledge is cheap. Opinions are cheap. Perspectives are cheap. Truth is not. That requires serious work.