The World is NOT Going to Hell in a Handbasket!
- “United Nations adviser calls for White people to be stripped of their power,” Fox News Headline.
- ‘That Sounds like ethnic cleansing’: Clarissa Ward questions lead figure in Israel’s settler movement, CNN News Headline.
- It’s Official, Biden – Trump set for a rematch, BBC World News.
If you are like me and millions of other people, you “read” the news by scanning headlines, which are enough to create heartburn and anxiety for anyone. Although the story details differ across the globe, one thing holds; fear sells. And as Christians, we recognize fear as one of Satan’s most proficient weapons. Headlines are “designed to evoke our oldest and strongest emotions,”[1] which attract attention, and urgency, and in today’s vernacular, generate clicks.[2] These interactions expose viewers to more advertising impressions, leading to the goal of increased sales.
In his text Why We’re Wrong About Nearly Everything, author Bobby Duffy takes us on a walking tour through the perils of perception, a compilation of studies conducted across more than 100,000 interviews in 40 countries.[3] Ignorance and delusions are at the center of our emotionally charged thinking, fueling disinformation and distrust, resulting in denial and distance from one another. Duffy goes on to talk about why there is such a wide gap between perception and reality, and he offers a peek into ways we can shift our thinking into healthier measures.
Smoke and Mirrors with Disney
While Duffy mentions several examples of misperceptions, this is one I was personally involved with. In the early 2000s, UCSF researcher Stan Glantz partnered with Dartmouth University in a longitudinal study to measure the influence that Disney movies with cigarette scenes had on children. He theorized the tobacco industry strategically sought to normalize smoking so that children would have a favorable perception and thus would eventually become customers.
What he found was that “Strong empirical evidence indicates that smoking in movies increases adolescent smoking initiation”.[4] So, was the tobacco industry ignorant or delusional?
According to Bobby Duffy, ignorance is being uninformed about a subject, and therefore unable to speak from a place of authority. On the other hand, delusions occur when someone knows the facts, but they continue to follow the herd mentality for safety. Was the tobacco industry intentionally manipulating the public by their actions or did they truly not make the connections between their actions and the subsequent outcome? Personally, I believe they are wolves in sheep’s clothing.
Mind the Gap
However, the Bible reminds us 365 times to not fear, and Duffy’s research agrees. Public perceptions were worse than the factual evidence, by almost half! Why is there such a wide gap between perception and reality? Is the enemy playing tricks again? Here are a few possible reasons:
- The access to more information on a widening variety of topics means we have fewer insights about more issues.
- We may form our opinion based on what we’ve heard others say, generally giving trust and belief to those with whom we have a closer relationship.
- We moved too quickly to form an opinion and response without sufficiently researching it first.
So Now What?
The lesson here is that despite Satan’s best efforts to promote chaos, “Things are not as bad as we think, and most things are getting better,” says Duffy.[5] Emotion and logic will continue to compete because they are inherent to our human nature but stop and ask yourself:
- What is the source? Do I believe the headline?
- Don’t outsource your critical thinking to others.
- Respect, even if you disagree. People who don’t think like you are not your enemy. The dark forces of fear and division are your enemy. Find the middle ground.
- Everyone needs to express themselves and I propose the most authentic way to do that is to build better and deeper relationships with those who are opposites.
The Lord calls us to be unified in our efforts to build the kingdom. News headlines that bring fear and anxiety are the spirit of the enemy, not Jesus. Stay vigilant and know the voice of the one who calls us by name for his glory and purpose.
Amen.
[1] Ratcliffe, Susan, ed. Oxford Essential Quotations. Edition: 4. Oxford quick reference. [New York, New York?]: Oxford University Press, 2016.
[2] Sahu, Lipika. “Fear-Headlines: Capitalize on The Most Primitive Emotion.” New Writers Welcome, June 29, 2022. Accessed March 20, 2024. https://medium.com/new-writers-welcome/fear-headlines-capitalize-on-the-most-primitive-emotion-18c05392e99b.
[3], 5 Duffy, Bobby. Why We’re Wrong about Nearly Everything: A Theory of Human Misunderstanding. First US edition. New York: Basic Books, 2019.
[4]https://www.researchgate.net/publication/7447240_Smoking_in_the_Movies_Increases_Adolescent_Smoking_A_Review
About the Author
Jennifer Eckert
Fundraising director, people connector, believer in second chances, fights poverty, supports justice reform, lives a life integrated with Matthew 25.14 responses to “The World is NOT Going to Hell in a Handbasket!”
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Jennifer,
So many companies like the big tobacco companies have really played a fast one on so many unsuspecting people all in the vain search for more money. I agree with you and Duffy that things in general are getting better. Yet, so many people in my circle seem to believe that everything is getting worse and worse. I am wondering how you would respond to those who feel like yesteryear was better. Even though, often they can’t actually name a specific time which was better.
Hi Adam, forgive my delay in responding. You asked how I might respond to someone who felt yesteryear was better. Probably in the moment, I would dig deeper into the conversation. “Tell me why you think so.” Listening to their direction of thought would be important. Are they missing the days when their children were young or maybe when their parents were alive (yesteryear as a measure of nostalgia within family history) or was yesteryear better because the price of gas was cheaper and family-owned farms were flourishing? (yesteryear as a measure of external community conditions).
I would ask enough questions to lead the person to talk about the things they have control over and celebrate those wins. A lot of public anxiety today stems from a feeling of being out of control …for their future, for their children’s future, etc. Instead of focusing on large complex issues (politics) that we have little ability to control outside of voting, it is better to focus on the internal things we can control and honor.
Hi Jennifer, WOW! Thank you for your post!
In your experience, how does Bobby Duffy differentiate between ignorance and delusions, and why is it essential to recognize both concepts?
Hi Shela, Duffy offers grace for ignorance because that simply means someone doesn’t know the facts. Delusions are when the facts are known, but they choose to disregard them and instead, hold on to their assumptions, treating them as if they were factual.
It is good to try to recognize both as a way to determine whether you believe the person to be credible or honest. It may underpin how far into the relationship you are willing to go. Misery loves company, so the caution is to not get sucked up in it.
Jennifer,
You said “as Christians, we recognize fear as one of Satan’s most proficient weapons.” You also mention that the Bible says do not fear 365 times, I’ve heard that but never actually looked that up myself. If we realize the danger of fear and that we are not supposed to fear, why is fear used, sometimes by Christians, to get people to vote for a certain issue or candidate, and why do Christians give into that fear and even spread it rather than really thinking the situation through?
Hi Jeff, great question. You asked why Christians give in to fear-based messaging and even spread it when the Bible tells us ‘Do not be afraid’?
The use of fear as a tactic taps into human psychology – our thinking and our emotions. Christians and non-Christians alike fall victim to this strategy, which has been used in the public relations and marketing industry for decades. People don’t take the time to understand various angles of a situation and instead outsource their decision-making power to others.
As our world operates at a faster pace with more connections through technology, responsible Christians should receive information with skepticism and then research for themselves, considering the pros, cons, and who stands to “win” in the end.
Hi Jennifer, I found Duffy’s research encouraging. Things are not as bad as they seem. However, I had the thought that I wouldn’t want this to make me complacent. How might we continue to balance hopefulness with vigilance as we fight the battle against the enemy (Eph. 6.18)?
Hopefulness in balance with vigilance is important. To be “factually optimistic” means you have studied the various possibilities for how a situation may end. You choose to believe the positive angle with the understanding that ultimately it is about trusting God while also listening for obedience cues he may be sending (i.e., are you supposed to act or just wait?)
Being too vigilant can turn you into a curmudgeon. Having too much optimism can make you seem out of touch with reality and thus not credible. Rose-colored glasses. Somewhere in the middle is the sweet spot.
Hi Jennifer, thank you for your post. I have found deep comfort in the “Fear Nots” of Scripture. I appreciate this application, “Respect, even if you disagree. People who don’t think like you are not your enemy.” So true, and even with enemies, Matthew 5:38-43 speaks into that very clearly!
What is a way you have learned to respond to those who are not respecting you or are treating you as the enemy?
Please forgive my delay in responding. In recent years, I haven’t been disrespected like I have seen neighbors disrespect other neighbors. It is always hard to know when to intervene or not, and it has been difficult to fully trust people who have “unleashed the ugly side of themselves onto others.” Mostly I deal with this through prayer, but truthfully, I struggle with not judging them after seeing that side reveal itself.
Hi Jennifer, thank you for this post. I can remember my childhood and thinking it was so cool to ‘smoke’ candy cigarettes. I appreciate the three points you outline concerning the wide gap between perception and reality. I do find myself getting overwhelmed with the amount of information thrown my way. Oftentimes, I don’t feel I have the capacity to study all the things I care about more in-depth. What do you do to navigate through all the data and how do you prioritize what to study more in-depth?
Prioritization is key! And you are so right that our time is more tied up than ever – I share the same struggle. Who has time to research everything? But on things that matter, I do reserve making a judgment until I can do at least minimal research. I refrain from automatically taking someone’s word unless it comes from a source I know and trust.
I thought technology was supposed to simplify our lives. What happened? It didn’t work! LOL
Jennifer, I had several thoughts as I read your article. First, I used to be a school library teacher and I tried (and tried and tried…) to teach the kids to become discerning and critical consumers of information. That old System 1 makes it much easier to go to mental shortcuts!
Second, the reminder that just because someone doesn’t think like you do, it doesn’t make them an enemy. We have to remember that we are ALL created in the image of God. Unfortunately, too few people are aware of that distinction. And they go right into enemy mode much too easily (I confess to finding myself there more often than I would like).
Enemy mode, according to Jim Wilder and Ray Woolridge (in “Escaping Enemy Mode”) is when we recognize that we are in the presence of an “other” who is not “us”. There are neuroscientific reasons for jumping to enemy mode – we all do it – but being aware of the tendency is a great first step to reducing how often and how long we stay there.
How do you deal with emotions that catch you by surprise?
Debbie, I’m delayed in responding, but that’s a good thing. This week’s reading by David Rock will help answer. It is natural to have emotions that catch us by surprise, but as leaders, Rock said we need to learn how to utilize cognitive control to tamp them down. As our brains get into a place of peace and rest (the mental silence that happens when you break through and move beyond the noise), solutions to our questions will be revealed. The more you can focus on “not focusing on anything,” the easier it will be for you to hear God’s voice and guidance.
For me, I am working to 1) recognize when I’m having an emotional reaction and 2) recognize how I can break it. If I linger too long in the “why am I thinking this way” or What happened,” I become unproductive like water circling the drain – over and over again. So I try to jump ahead to break through the emotion. Sometimes I am more successful than others, but the real win personally is the cognitive recognition of what was happening in the moment.