Jonestown and 'confirmation bias'

The term confirmation bias just sounds neat.  If you haven't already heard the term or know what it means, this article is a great introduction.  During the never-ending process of developing, monitoring, and maintaining our portfolios here at Anderson Griggs, we frequently remind each other of this global human fault so as to minimize the damage it may pose to our research.  The author of this article, Michael Shermer, while speaking of the easily gained acceptance of cult logic, hits the key to overcoming this bias when he speaks of stepping outside to reach a new reference point and destroy one's previous logic structure.  If you are always aware there are alternatives available, and attempt to commit as much effort to understanding them as you do to your current beliefs, you will have done as much as possible to countermand this bias and be many strides ahead of the competition.

 P.S. Confirmation bias is always a great blame to use against opponents, spouting off facts related to their stance, when you find yourself losing an argument.  Just inform them they are wrong due to confirmation bias, the poor weak humans that they are, and walk off.

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