My point is that people tend to pick and choose what they believe. A flat earther is not a unique kind of irrational actor, but simply the most visible example of a cognitive process we all engage in. The reason debates over Palestine, Ukraine, or China’s Xinjiang region persist despite overwhelming evidence isn’t a lack of information, but due to the fact that our minds have a tendency to protect our existing worldviews.

What we’re really talking about here are the fundamental mechanics of belief formation. I’d argue that it ultimately comes down to thermodynamics. Our minds are constantly bombarded with an infinite stream of contradictory information. To avoid cognitive overload, we use our existing belief system as a filter. Accepting a fact that fits neatly into our current model is energetically cheap. It slots right in. But accepting a fact that contradicts our core beliefs is metabolically expensive. It forces a painful restructuring of our entire mental framework which we’d rather not do.

Incidentally, this is precisely why the liberal ideal of “just educate people better” is a such a profound failure. It assumes people are empty vessels waiting to be filled with facts, when in reality, we are architects constantly fortifying the cognitive structures we already inhabit. Presenting contrary evidence often just makes people double down, because rebuilding the house is more costly than throwing out a single brick that doesn’t fit.