For desired conclusions, we ask ourselves, “Can I believe this?”, but for unpalatable conclusions we ask, “Must I believe this?

We seek opinions that are likely to support what we want to be true.

When we do cross paths with people whose beliefs and attitudes conflict with our own, we are rarely challenged.

People will always prefer black-and-white over shades of grey, and so there will always be the temptation to hold overly-simplified beliefs and to hold them with excessive confidence

We are the sum total of our experiences.

What we believe is heavily influenced by what we think others believe

For desired conclusions, we ask ourselves, “Can I believe this?”, but for unpalatable conclusions we ask, “Must I believe this?