Researchers discover a surprising threat to democracy: our brains
In reality, we often base our opinions on our beliefs, which can have an uneasy relationship with facts. And rather than facts driving beliefs, our beliefs can dictate the facts we chose to accept. They can cause us to twist facts so they fit better with our preconceived notions. Worst of all, they can lead us to uncritically accept bad information just because it reinforces our beliefs. This reinforcement makes us more confident we’re right, and even less likely to listen to any new information. And then we vote.
JOE KEOHANE/THE BOSTON GLOBE
It’s one of the great assumptions underlying modern democracy that an informed citizenry is preferable to an uninformed one. “Whenever the people are well-informed, they can be trusted with their own government,” Thomas Jefferson wrote in 1789. This notion, carried down through the years, underlies everything from humble political pamphlets to presidential debates to the very notion of a free press. Mankind may be crooked timber, as Kant put it, uniquely susceptible to ignorance and misinformation, but it’s an article of faith that knowledge is the best remedy. If people are furnished with the facts, they will be clearer thinkers and better citizens. If they are ignorant, facts will enlighten them. If they are mistaken, facts will set them straight. MORE…
Indian River Guardian 
Case in point….thousands of ads flooding the networks coming from sources other than the candidates! It is mis-information such as this that puts a “cog” in the running of our government and makes us want to do something about our elected officials every election. This is a wake up call for everyone! With all of the spins in the ads it is almost impossible to learn the truth and vote intelligently. Could you imagine if most of that available “seed” money was given to educate our children instead? Congratulations to Inside Vero, you tell it the way it is, this is a big step to eliminate the political chaos we are faced with!
Mark Twain was right;. ” It is easier to fool people than it is to convince people that they have been fooled.”