To hold an idea and convince ourselves we arrived at it rationally, we go in search of evidence to support our view.
Interpretation
People often look for evidence that confirms their beliefs rather than seeking the truth objectively.
This quote by Robert Greene highlights the cognitive bias known as confirmation bias, where individuals tend to favor information that supports their pre-existing notions and beliefs. It serves as a reminder of the importance of being aware of our mental processes in order to gain a more objective understanding of the world around us.
In practice
A discussion on cognitive biases in a psychology class.
In a society where the roles everyone plays are obvious, the refusal to conform to any standard will excite interest. Be both masculine and feminine, impudent and charming, subtle and outrageous. Let other people worry about being socially acceptable; those types are a dime a dozen, and you are after a power greater than they can imagine.
When you are trying to impress people with words, the more you say, the more common you appear, and the less in control. Even if you are saying something banal, it will seem original if you make it vague, open-ended, and sphinxlike.
The moment people feel they know what to expect from you, your spell on them is broken. More: You have ceded them power.
The future belongs to those who learn more skills and combine them in creative ways.
The Nihilistic Troll might pretend to be acting in the service of some cause or leader, but don't be fooled. The cause and their supposedly strong convictions are simply a way to justify and provide cover for their abusive behavior.
Only create associations with positive affinities. Make this a rule of life and you will benefit more than from all the therapy in the world.
If you wish to upset the law that all crows are black, you mustn't seek to show that no crows are; it is enough if you prove one single crow to be white.
To each individual the world will take on a different connotation of meaning-the important lies in the desire to search for an answer.
When I was five, I am told, and asked what my favorite things in the world were, I answered, smoked salmon and Bach.
She was one of those Southerners who knew from an early age that the South could never be more for them than a fragrant prison, administered by a collective of loving but treacherous relatives.
Everywhere I've turned somebody has wanted to sacrifice me for my own goodβonly /they/ were the ones who benefited. And now we start on the old sacrificial merry-go-round. At what point do we stop?
Each person does see the world in a different way. There is not a single, unifying, objective truth. We're all limited by our perspective.
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