Ask HN: Article Comment Addiction? | Hacker News Reader

Ask HN: Article Comment Addiction?

3 pointsrosstex2 comments

Very often when I'm reading an article on the Internet, I find that I can't completely form my own opinion of the article until I've scrolled down and read the comments. Sometimes I might even jump to the comments before I'm finished with the article, to possibly confirm my skepticism with the article and then quickly move on. Other times, I will have seriously found solace in the article until I read the comments that ridicule and denounce it, and my opinion completely changes.

I see it as a sad trait of mine. I rely too much on the opinions of others to define my own beliefs. I wonder if there's any reading material on this subject, but I'm also really curious what you guys think about this.

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Don't see it as a sad trait, see it as seeking a possible counterpoint before blindly accepting what has been presented. Depending on how familiar you are with a topic, it can be easy for someone who is more familiar to sway you to a line of thinking you might not necessarily agree with later, not because they are lying, or wrong, but because the information they are presenting may be incomplete. This can be because of their own lack of experience in specifics areas of the topic, or just a difference of opinion or values regarding attributes of the topic at hand.

Seeking more information about a topic before committing to an opinion is a good thing. Embrace it. But don't take my word for it, wait for some others to chime in, get their takes, and make up your own mind. ;)

It's basic psychology. We all seek out proof we're right, because we don't want to:

1. Be/seem wrong 2. Reevaluate things we believe we know

You're just doing what people do - looking for affirmation that your beliefs are valid.

Now, the bigger question is is that a good thing. It's easy and comforting to live in an echo chamber. It's also what puts Trump as the presidential candidate, makes people dispute the efficacy of vaccinations, and disbelieve global warming.

It's good to hear other viewpoints, and to actively consider them. That's why the Democrats haven't effectively answered the challenge of Trump. They don't sit and think why people would vote for him, and where those people get their opinions from, so they can't talk to those people effectively.

It's easy to caricature people. Don't become one yourself. Rather than reading the comments, read the article, then find something that takes the opposing view. If you're in the UK, think of this as getting The Guardian and The Telegraph. I'm not entirely sure what the US analogous version would be, but I'm sure you get the drift.

Come to your own conclusions. You might still be wrong, but at least you'll be informed and wrong.

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