We like to think of ourselves as mostly rational beings. When we decide to buy something, we do so based on facts and data. Our political beliefs are based on the available evidence. And when we tell someone of a cherished memory, we can remember it like it was yesterday.

But our brains trick us. They let us believe we are doing the right thing, considering the facts, and remembering all the details, when in reality, our brains mostly make it up as we go along.

Take eyewitness testimony. Having someone testify for or against you can be a big deal. But eyewitness testimony is often not just inaccurate, it is often simply wrong. Because when we remember something, our brains only recall the general facts, and fill in the rest with… well, anything.

Facts, too, don’t hold as much sway over us as we would maybe like them to. Because Facts Don’t Change Our Minds. Our brains will do their damnedest to hold on to our already formed beliefs, and facts aren’t going to change that. Other psychological effects like the Confirmation Bias let us only seek out facts and other interpretations that will support our existing beliefs.

And when it comes to politics, this explains Why fact-checking can’t stomp Tump’s lies. People who already bought into the lies are hard to convince otherwise. Same goes for conspiracy theory believers. Any fact that goes against their grain will be argued against, discredited, or simply be accused as coming from the lying opposition, who you shouldn’t be believing anyway.

Of course, it doesn’t help that manipulating the media is easier than you think. Misinformation can spread extremely quickly, while retractions and corrections are not only slower, but don’t have nearly the same reach as the original story.

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