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<\/a>Please forgive me. I am writing about \u201cWhy We Are Wrong About Nearly Everything\u201d on a long-haul flight, so this blog will have a very short supply of cross-referencing with other sources.<\/p>\nIn a world where so many people are seemingly so sure about what they believe and why, Bobby Duffy\u2019s book is refreshingly honest and insightful. Whether it be his candid description of his non-focus on \u201cniche stupidity\u201d[1]<\/a> or practical explorations for the reasons behind our delusions,[2]<\/a> Duffy, a leading public policy researcher, has hit the jackpot if he is aiming to help thought leaders usurp the status quo of popular thinking in society. In an age where social media algorithms are dictating group-think silos and where ignorance, despite a greater degree of access to information is available, Duffy\u2019s research is not without merit. Offering \u201chope\u201d[3]<\/a> in the melee of witlessness seems to be Duffy\u2019s bent, and he achieves it for the reader looking to combat the base thought of the masses. The book, however, is not just for the more discerning reader; it\u2019s a warning for us all. The clue is in the title of the book. His connection between our delusions and decision-making is a stark reminder that we are all susceptible to being wrong. It is both reassuring and alarming. That he cites Kahneman, Thinking Fast and Slow [4]<\/a> on fourteen separate occasions, reinforces the need for a leader\/learner\/human to engage systems 1 and 2 in all decision-making, reinforcing that system 1 is often wrong. We need the space and time to process everything, we are likely wrong.<\/p>\n Before highlighting two specific aspects of the book that have great appeal, there are two areas of weakness. Firstly, by the author’s own admission, only thirteen countries have given sufficient data[5]<\/a> for a true global theory of human misunderstanding, or misperception index, to be acknowledged. Perhaps Kuwait rates less than 5%, and Sweden itself is embarrassingly high on the index. Secondly, and more significantly, Duffy does not consider issues of a spiritual nature and more importantly, the operation of the Holy Spirit and the accompanying gifts of the Spirit in 1 Corinthians 14. While this aspect would potentially not sway the data recorded in formal research polls, if at all, there certainly is hope for the Christian leader who is attuned to the Spirit\u2019s leading.<\/p>\n Duffy’s book has two significant areas of interest. Firstly, I resonate wholeheartedly with the Dunning-Kruger effect.[6]<\/a> Of it, he writes about the illusory superior bias and our tendency to think we\u2019re better than others, stating that \u201cPeople with low abilities are more likely to view themselves as competent than people with higher abilities.\u201d[7]<\/a> I must admit to having suffered from this effect in my younger years as a minister. Raised as a Pentecostal in a Pentecostal movement, I assumed, very wrongly, that we had the monopoly on understanding and experiencing the Holy Spirit. That was until my early 20s when I moved from Australia to England with my new bride and met, for the first time, some of the very significant leaders within the charismatic stream of the Church of England. I was blown away by their sensitivity to the Holy Spirit and how they operated in the Fruit and Gifts of the Spirit. After some years of knowing them, I began to joke with them that they were more Pentecostal than many Pentecostal churches and Pastors. While vigorous banter ensued, the Clergy clad, traditional-looking and sounding ministers still humble me with how they move in the things of the Spirit. To me, my lack of exposure, learning and academic insight as a young man led to the statement, \u201cPeople with low abilities are more likely to view themselves as competent than people with higher abilities\u201d[8]<\/a> to be true.<\/p>\n Secondly, the results of MIT\u2019s research into the power of what we see are of particular interest to a leader. He writes, \u201cOur critical reasoning skills are less likely to engage when we see rather than read.\u201d[9]<\/a> The phrase \u201cA picture is worth a thousand words\u201d was coined by Arthur Brisbane in 1911, the truth of which, as a summary version of the MIT research, cannot be overstated. Perhaps this is why social media has had such a vast impact on the Herd Mentality[10]<\/a> today. Learners are no longer compelled to read; they can look at the pictures and algorithms of the unseen bots present on social media. Pictures without context are as bad, perhaps worse, than unreferenced academic papers. However, as visionary leaders in a church context, the MIT research presents opportunities to rethink \u201cVision Sundays\u201d amongst other areas of church leadership. In the last 10-15 years, vision Sundays have become a regular, annual tradition in the Pentecostal\/Charismatic church world. Vision is presented, often in the context of a sermon, and while visuals are often used in association, I wonder if more can be made of the \u201cPicture that is worth a thousand words.\u201d Clearly, images presented to us go through our own individual filters of reasoning. The presentation of Vision needs to address both the filters of reason and inspire the imagination of the church members. How we address the personal filters and inspire simultaneously may account for some of the reasons why, as pastors, we encounter Everett Roger’s diffusion of Innovations [11]<\/a> at work. As pastors, it\u2019s always been a dream to work with Roger\u2019s first three categories, the Innovators, Early Adaptors and Early Majority, but we can struggle with the last two, Late Majority and Laggards. I wonder if a more effective use of images on Vision Sundays could have a greater impact on Roger\u2019s last two categories of church attendees. Food for thought.<\/p>\n I found Bobby Duffy’s book an easy, fun-to-read book. His insightful analysis and engaging anecdotes offer a refreshing perspective on why we misunderstand crucial issues by challenging conventional thinking and unravelling the mysteries behind human misperception. I will recommend the book as a tool for empowering readers to navigate a world inundated with misinformation with clarity and understanding.<\/p>\n [1]<\/a> Duffy, Bobby. Why We’re Wrong About Nearly Everything<\/em>. New York: Basic Books, 2019. 5.<\/p>\n [2]<\/a> Ibid, 20.<\/p>\n [3]<\/a> Ibid, 21.<\/p>\n [4]<\/a> \u00a0Kahneman, Daniel. 2012. Thinking, Fast and Slow: Daniel Kahneman<\/em>. 1st edition. London: Penguin. 44.<\/p>\n [5]<\/a> Duffy, 211.<\/p>\n [6]<\/a> Ibid, 215.<\/p>\n [7]<\/a> Ibid.<\/p>\n [8]<\/a> Ibid.<\/p>\n