Why is it that we get so fiercely emotional and defensive when it comes to certain topics? I get into trouble from voicing my opinions every now and then. Sometimes you just know right away. The tone, the look and the change in the person you are dealing with. The same thing could be applied to myself too. I get very defensive on certain topics. Why do we get so angry on certain issues and not so much on other issues?
Apparently it’s called the Backfire Effect. I learnt this from a very interesting post on The Oatmeal. It’s quite an interesting read so I’d encourage you to have a look. It’s very relevant in today’s divided world.
When our core values get challenged by a statement, an opinion, a fact, or some kind of evidence, we often react strongly. We would look for counter arguments or evidence against such ‘allegations’. The facts or statements may or may not be true but it’s probably not the point. It’s the defensive behaviour that’s what makes us human. We are just wired to react to information that threatens our core beliefs.
Apparently from an evolutionary point of view it makes sense too. We don’t always have time to verify or process information and we need to react fast to protect ourselves from threats. It’s often frustrating when we are confronted by others who hold very different views from ours. I don’t think it’s something we can fix easily. But it certainly helps to learn about our behaviours as human beings and just be more aware of what our limitations are. Next time when we are confronted by others at least we will know it’s probably because of some backfire effect taking place and it is all very human.