Alex Kladitis

Role: Critical observer of belief systems and cognitive biases

Contributions to the Discussion

Alex brought a challenging perspective, calling attention to how belief systems and cognitive biases limit curiosity even among highly curious people.

The Central Challenge

Alex's provocative opening:

"I can go through the recordings, and I can find every single... at least one example where each one of you has made a statement, and I'm thinking, But why don't you look at it from this point of view? And it'll disprove your statement, okay? Every single one of you, I'm sure, I'll come up with."

"Have you considered yourself all told off for not being perfect humans."

Belief Systems as Obstacles

"It's inherent in us. We want to feel good. So it depends on the topic. So if it's politics, and we're on the left or the right, we don't want to challenge our mental model and belief system. So that's one of the obstacles to being curious."

The Compartmentalization Puzzle

Alex highlighted how humans can hold contradictory beliefs:

"It's really amazing that we as humans, we'll go to page one, and we'll read about some politician announcing a new this, that, and the other. And say how great the politician is, if we support them. And then we'll go to number 5, you know, page 5 of a newspaper. And there's an article of what shysters the politicians are. And we can compartmentalize the two and not cross-feed."

"If he's the shyster over there, if that part is lying over there, what tells you that they tell the truth here? And that, to me, it's curiosity, or maybe I'm using the wrong word, which amazes me, because I do it, and I'm sure everybody else does it."

Personal Experience with His Children

"I enjoy talking, discussing things with them. If there's no belief system involved, be it politics, religion, whatever it is, we have a great conversation. But as soon as we start discussing things we care about... That's an old what's-it, so he's not going to think about it the way as us. But what amazes me is their reluctance to even hear or question what their belief system... something that might challenge their belief system."

On Education and Technology

"I do think, Jerry, you mentioned it. It's to do with the way we've been taught, and it isn't something that's just happened. I think it's happened over time. Maybe it's the influence of TV, because it's an acceptance machine, and on TV, you don't actually challenge anything, you just watch and enjoy. You don't interact with it."

Calling Out Universal Behavior

"We are all doing this. Every day, even in this call, we will do it... that we're not... you guys call it curiosity, I call it the not-standard, or what you see in front of you, point of view."

Polarization Theme

Alex wanted to discuss polarization and how it prevents curiosity:

"I thought when we first mentioned it, we'd start talking about the curiosity in the sense that we're so polarized that each side, or whoever it is..."

Key Insight

Alex reframed curiosity as willingness to consider alternative viewpoints, especially those that might challenge our comfortable beliefs.

Themes Alex Explored

Related Participants

Jerry Michalski - Jerry connected Alex's points to critical thinking and self-preservation
Scott Moehring - Scott added "multi-perspectival humbleness" in response to Alex's ideas
Victoria (Spain) - Changed voting behavior despite beliefs, exemplifying what Alex called for

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