Reviewed Date: January 12th, 2023
It’s hard to change people’s minds. Though you show evidence and research, they don’t believe you and accept the stuff that you are presenting to them. They get more defensive and hold on to their beliefs more strongly than before. Evidence doesn’t change people’s minds; emotion does.
We, humans, are driven by emotions. Until and unless you connect with them deeply, understand their perspective, and understand what experiences people have had, it’s not possible to turn people to your side. Our beliefs have formed upon experiences we had while growing up. To change or eradicate a belief, you have to find the experience that backs the belief.
Let people explain their experiences. Once they have done this, ask them calibrated questions that could bring more insights and secondary perspectives to their minds. It is effective because it lets people have conversations within themselves. When you ask what their position is on certain issues, they might change their stance.
How Minds Change is not typically a nonfiction book. It has tested my patience. I read 90 pages of the book, and I haven’t learned anything new. Appealing to emotion and how minds deal with ambiguity—I know this stuff. The first chapter of the book is anecdotal; I didn’t find it engaging at all. I might change my opinion of the book after reading the book fully, but I couldn’t propel myself to read anymore.
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