JRE 1888 · June 27, 2024

Michael Shermer

psychologyconspiracyphilosophyscience

Who is Michael Shermer?

Dr. Michael Shermer is the founding publisher of Skeptic magazine, host of the podcast "The Michael Shermer Show," and a Presidential Fellow at Chapman University. He is the author of several books, the most recent of which is "Conspiracy: Why the Rational Believe the Irrational." https://michaelshermer.com/

Topics and Timestamps

01Michael Shermer discusses why intelligent, rational people believe in conspiracy theories and irrational ideas
02The psychology behind how smart people can compartmentalize and rationalize false beliefs
03How confirmation bias and pattern recognition work against us in evaluating evidence
04The difference between skepticism and cynicism, and why healthy skepticism matters
05Examples of how even educated people fall into conspiratorial thinking patterns
06Shermer's approach to understanding rather than dismissing people who believe conspiracy theories
▶Shermer explains why intelligent people believe irrational things0:05:30
▶Discussion of pattern recognition and how our brains are wired for it0:18:45
▶Confirmation bias and how we rationalize contradictory evidence0:32:20
▶The difference between skepticism and cynicism explored0:47:15
▶How social groups reinforce conspiracy beliefs and irrational thinking1:05:50

The Show

JRE 1888 brings on Michael Shermer, the founding publisher of Skeptic magazine and author of "Conspiracy: Why the Rational Believe the Irrational," to dig into one of the most fascinating psychological phenomena of our time: why smart people believe dumb things.

The conversation centers on the core paradox that Shermer has spent his career investigating. It's not unintelligent people who typically fall for conspiracy theories and irrational beliefs, but often highly educated, successful individuals. Shermer breaks down the mechanisms at play: our brains are pattern-recognition machines that evolved to survive, not to seek truth. We're all prone to confirmation bias, where we unconsciously seek out information that confirms what we already believe while dismissing contradictory evidence. The problem gets worse when you're smart because you're better at rationalizing and constructing elaborate justifications for your beliefs.

Joe and Shermer explore how conspiracy thinking isn't just about stupidity or gullibility. It's about how our brains naturally work. We see patterns everywhere, which was useful for survival (rustling grass might be a predator), but becomes problematic in the modern world where we're constantly bombarded with information. A smart person can take disconnected pieces of information and weave them into a compelling narrative that feels true, especially when their social group reinforces it.

Shermer emphasizes the importance of distinguishing between healthy skepticism and corrosive cynicism. True skepticism is about asking good questions and following evidence wherever it leads. Cynicism, on the other hand, is about assuming everything is a lie and everyone is corrupt. Cynics stop looking for truth because they've already decided the game is rigged.

The discussion touches on how education and intelligence can actually work against you if you lack epistemic humility. Someone with a PhD in one field might feel equipped to pronounce definitive judgments in completely different areas where they lack expertise. Shermer's approach isn't to mock believers but to understand the psychological and social mechanisms that make conspiracy theories so sticky and appealing.

Best Quotes

“The smarter you are, the better you are at rationalizing beliefs you arrived at for non-rational reasons”

— Michael Shermer