Seeing Only What We Want: The Quiet Power of Confirmation Bias
How our brains trick us into ignoring truth, clinging to comfort, and falling for propaganda—without us even realizing.
By R.L. Crossan
What Is Confirmation Bias?
Confirmation bias is the tendency to seek, interpret, and remember information in a way that confirms what we already believe—even if we’re wrong.
It’s like wearing invisible glasses that filter the world, letting in only what matches our current views and blocking out anything that challenges them.
Why It’s a Problem
Confirmation bias isn’t just an innocent quirk—it has real consequences:
We ignore facts that might be uncomfortable
We double down on false beliefs
We surround ourselves with people and media that echo our thoughts
We stop growing, questioning, and learning
It limits our understanding of the world and can lead to poor decisions—personally, socially, and politically.
A Real-World Examples
Story for Kids: The Two Cookie Test
Lena and Max each wanted to prove who baked the best chocolate chip cookie.
Lena gave a cookie to 10 people—7 of them were her best friends. They all said hers was the best.
Max gave his to 10 people too—but only to strangers who didn’t know him.
When Lena heard that 6 strangers liked Max’s cookie more, she said, “They must have weird taste.”
But when her friends liked hers, she said, “See! I knew mine was better!”
Lena only listened to the answers she wanted to hear. That’s confirmation bias.
Max was curious about why people liked his or didn’t—and that’s how we learn and grow.
The Coffee Shop Debate: A Real-World Example of Confirmation Bias
Amanda and Jason were coworkers who often chatted during their morning coffee break. One day, they started talking about a local election.
Amanda said, “I read that Candidate Smith is corrupt. I saw a video online where someone explained everything.”
Jason replied, “But that video came from a blog that’s been caught spreading fake news. Did you check any official sources?”
Amanda shook her head. “No need. It confirmed what I already thought.”
Later that day, Jason sent her three articles from reliable sources disproving the claims. Amanda glanced at them but replied, “Of course those sites would defend him. They're all biased.”
Amanda wasn’t interested in changing her mind. The story she wanted to believe already fit her views. So, she dismissed any facts that didn’t match.
Meanwhile, Jason admitted he used to distrust Smith too—but changed his opinion after digging into the details from multiple sources.
Amanda let her bias decide what was true. Jason let truth challenge his bias.
How Confirmation Bias Shapes Politics
In politics, confirmation bias is everywhere:
People only watch the news that matches their party
Voters ignore facts if it makes “their side” look bad
Social media feeds us more of what we already agree with
This bias becomes a dangerous echo chamber. It keeps people divided, misinformed, and unwilling to consider alternative ideas—even ones based on truth.
How It Leads to Propaganda
Propaganda works by feeding confirmation bias. It gives people a version of reality they already want to believe. It can be emotional, simple, and repeated often to make it stick.
Once someone accepts a lie that confirms their worldview, it becomes very hard to undo.
That’s why misinformation spreads so easily—and why critical thinking is so important.
Breaking the Bias
To break out of confirmation bias:
Ask: “What if I’m wrong?”
Read from multiple sources—not just the ones you like
Talk to people with different viewpoints
Be curious instead of defensive
Bias is human, but truth takes humility.
Final Reflection: Truth Needs Open Eyes
Confirmation bias doesn’t mean we’re bad—it means we’re human. But understanding it helps us think clearer, live wiser, and grow kinder. In a world full of noise, the truth still matters. We just have to be willing to hear it.