A Belief That Chose You: Propaganda, Cognitive Dissonance, and Thinking for Yourself

How can they possibly think like that? If you've asked that question lately — about a family member, a friend, someone you used to feel close to — this episode is for you.The truth is, we don't come to our beliefs the way we like to think we do. We don't gather the facts, weigh the evidence, and arrive at a thoughtful conclusion.Most of the time, we feel our way into a belief first, and then we explain it to ourselves. And once we understand that, a lot of what feels so confusing right now — about ourselves and about each other — starts to make more sense.This episode is about how propaganda works, what cognitive dissonance actually feels like from the inside, and why fear makes us reach for certainty before we reach for truth. But more than that, it's about the question underneath all of it: is what you believe actually yours?In this episode:Why our brain feels before it thinks — and what that costs usHow propaganda works without us realizing it's happeningWhat cognitive dissonance feels like from the insideHow to slow down enough to let your thinking brain catch upFull show notes and links here:https://drloristevic.com/propaganda