The Homer Simpson Species
Why nearly everyone hates facts
The cartoon character Homer Simpson was designed to be the epitome of Everyman: not very intelligent, overweight, profoundly ignorant, self-indulgent, and… (to make sure we can identify with him) well-meaning and loyal to his family. He’s famous for one quote in particular: when he says dismissively, “you can prove anything with facts.”
We also have folk memes like “don’t try to confuse me with facts, I know what I know,” which I’ve actually heard someone say to me in real life.
Studies have conclusively demonstrated that when a person is exposed to incontrovertible empirical evidence that their beliefs are erroneous, they will resolutely reject the evidence and double-down on their mistaken beliefs. This was seen most plangently a few years ago when a rather empty-headed young man believed cynical Republican Party lies about a Democrat pedophile ring being run out of a Washington DC pizza parlor. Armed with a rifle, the naïve young dupe stormed the parlor and demanded to see inside the room in which he “knew” children were being held in preparation for their sale as sex-slaves. The room turned out to contain old computer equipment, unused furniture, and other assorted remnants.
This visual evidence directly experienced by the young man did not however alter in any way…
