873: Why Do People Trust Experts Without Thinking?

Brian Nichols  0:00  
Have you ever looked at your old friends and wondered what happened to you? How did so many people go from questioning authority to blindly following every government mandate and expert narrative? Yeah, let's talk about that. Instead of focusing on winning arguments, we're teaching the basic fundamentals of sales and marketing and how we can use them to win in the world of politics, teaching you how to meet people where they're at on the issues they care about. Welcome to The Brian Nichols Show. Well, hey there, folks, Brian Nichols here on The Brian Nichols Show. Thank you for joining us on of course, another fun filled episode. I am as always your humble host joining us from our lovely cardio miracle Studios here in eastern Indiana. The Brian Nichols Show is powered by our phenomenal sponsor amp America, folks, if you're looking for the news you need without the corporate media bias or fluff, head to amp america.com for news pieces, opinion pieces, podcasts, and more. Yes, the news you need to know amp america.com Also, The Brian Nichols Show is powered by our phenomenal studio sponsor cardio miracle if you want to learn how to lower your blood pressure, lower your resting heart rate while a slew of other positive benefits to improve your heart health stick around. We're going to talk more about our amazing studio sponsor cardio miracle later, but for today's episode, yeah, elephant in the room. Have you ever just looked around at your friends and say, who are you? Are you the same friends? I used to know and love and elephant in the room the past few years, specifically in the era of COVID. It's been wild and looking back. I personally I can't help but marvel at how drastically things have changed not just in the world around us. But specifically in the people I once called near and dear friends. It's been like watching a slow motion train wreck seeing folks I've known for 510 15 years or more completely flipped their values, their principles and their politics. And honestly, I barely recognize some of them anymore. So let's talk about a little story here. So you know, that feature on Facebook that shows you your old posts, the Facebook memories, man, that has been eye opening, to say the least. Because when I scroll through my memories, I see a consistent thread of values and principles running through my posts over the years. And I mean, yeah, sure, I've grown and I've evolved, but the core of who I am. That hasn't changed. But what has changed is my patience, or lack thereof, for the nonsense that has become all too common these days. And I'll be blunt. I'm tired of it. I'm tired of the BS. I'm tired of the useful idiots who parrot whatever narrative is being pushed by the establishment without giving it a second thought like, if you're going to make an argument at least put some real thought behind it. Don't just regurgitate the latest talking points from the regime's playbook. I don't have time for that anymore. And it's been disheartening to watch so many people from my old circle, people who used to think like I did do valued principles and individual liberty. They've completely bought into this government and expert narratives, hook, line and sinker. And as things have gotten more intense over the past few years as government overreach has expanded, especially during the COVID era, these folks have seemingly just abandoned these critical thinking skills in favor of blind, comfortable obedience. But don't get me wrong. I've always tried to approach things with a healthy healthy dose of skepticism. But COVID I mean, that more or less turned me into a full blown skeptic. These days, I find myself asking why a lot more than I ever did before. It's like there was a switch that was flipped on in my brain. And now I hope, much like where I am, I just can't help but question everything. In the past, whenever I'd hear about a bad policy proposal, my focus was primarily focused on reacting to that policy. And I would spend my energy explaining why this policy wouldn't work and why a Liberty based or libertarian based solution made more sense, but But now, now, when I hear these half baked ideas being presented by political opponents or bad faith actors, I don't even bother to explain why their ideas are flawed. As we know, when you're explaining, you're losing. So instead, I find myself skeptically wondering, why are they even bringing up some of these ideas to the table in the first place? Like what's their thought process? How did they arrive at this solution? Because here's the thing. If you can't address how someone got to their proposed solution at the onset, how can you possibly hope to sell them on a different solution going forward? You're fighting a losing battle, if you don't even understand the foundation that they're building on. And this shift in my approach has been both enlightening, as well as frustrating because on one on hand, it's opened my eyes to the deeper issues at play in our political discourse. And on the other hand, it's made me realize just how far gone some people are including a lot of folks I once considered like minded friends. And the COVID pandemic was really a turning point for many myself included. But while it pushed me further into skepticism and a desire for individual liberty, it seemed to have the opposite effect on a lot of other folks. I know you like me watched in disbelief as friends who once questioned authority suddenly became its staunchest defenders, people who used to value personal freedom above all outs. Now clamoring for more government control, more government restrictions, more government mandates. It was like we're watching a mass brainwashing in real time, from the fear mongering from the media, the constant shifting the goalposts from health officials and experts, the demonization of anyone who dared question the official narrative. It all worked together to create this perfect storm of compliance and groupthink. Hey, folks, I want to take a moment to talk about something that has truly changed my life. And that is cardio miracle, our incredible studio sponsor now, I'll be honest, when I first heard about cardio miracle and their claims about improving heart health, I was skeptical, but after using it for just about two months, I was absolutely blown away by the results. 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And here's the best part, we've got an exclusive offer just for you our loyal listeners here at The Brian Nichols Show. When you head over to cardio miracle.com and use code TBNS at checkout, you'll get an extra 15% discount on your order. Plus, with their 100% money back guarantee, you've got nothing to lose, and everything to gain. So you're ready to take control of your heart health and experience the life changing benefits of cardio miracle for yourself, just click the link in the show notes or video description. Trust me Your heart will thank you and don't wait another day to prioritize your health. Join the 10s of 1000s of folks who have already discovered the cardio miracle difference, head to cardio miracle.com now and use code TV and S for 15% off your order. Your journey to a happier and healthier heart starts today. And now let's get back to the show. And let's talk about that narrative for a moment, shall we? The way it is and frankly the way it still is being pushed by the establishment is nothing more than Orwellian. trust the experts they say follow the science they insist but what happens when those experts contradict themselves? What happens when the science changes every other day? What happens when questioning the narrative gets you labeled as a conspiracy theorist or grandma killer? And I'll tell you what happens. People like me, people who value critical thinking and individual liberty, we start asking more questions. We start digging deeper, we start looking for the truth beyond the headlines and the sound bites. But for every person who wakes up and starts questioning things, it seems like there are 10 More who fall deeper into this trap of blind obedience. And that right there, that has been what has been so disheartening about watching my old friends change. These were people I used to respect people I thought shared my values. And now they're the ones calling for more government control, more censorship, more restrictions on personal freedoms. And it's it's not just about COVID either. This shift has really it's permeated every aspect of political discourse.

Whether we're talking about economic policy, foreign affairs, or social issues, this divide between those who question and those who comply. It seems to be growing wider by the day. I mean, take take economic policy, for instance. Like I've always been a proponent of free markets and is little government intervention is possible. But now I'm seeing friends who once shared those values and the suddenly advocating for more government control over the economy. And they've been cheering for massive spending bills, supporting increased regulations and even flirting with, dare I say it borderline socialist ideas. And when I try to engage with them on these issues pointing out to the historical failures of a centralized economic planning government or the unintended consequences of well meaning but misguided policies, yes, the danger of do good politics, I'm often met with blank stares, or to take it a step further accusations of being heartless or out of touch. It's like they've completely forgotten the principles of personal responsibility and economic freedom that we once bonded over. Or let's consider a foreign policy. I've, well, almost always until back my neocon days, I wasn't but you know, ever since I became a libertarian, back in 2015, I've been very skeptical of foreign interventions, and the idea that America should play the role of the world's police force. But now, I'm watching former anti war friends who were right there with me suddenly beating the drums for more military involvement overseas. They're swallowing the establishments line of defending democracy or protecting our interests, without questioning the real motivations behind these conflicts or the potential consequences of our actions. And when I try to remind them of the disastrous results of past interventions, or pointing out the hypocrisy of our foreign policy, I'm labeled as the isolationist or accused of not caring about human rights. It's maddening to see the people who once understood the complexities of global politics now reducing everything to these simplistic black and white, either you're with us or you're against us narratives. And don't even get me started on social issues, the rise of identity politics and the cult of whiteness that has taken over the minds of so many people I once considered to be rational and level headed. I mean, like friends who once advocated for true equality, and meritocracy, are now pushing for policies based on race and gender, supporting censorship in the name of protecting feelings and engaging in the kind of divisive rhetoric that would have just, you know, been a port just a few short years ago. And when I tried to engage them on this, I'm trying to point out the dangers of judging people based on these immutable characteristics or the importance of protecting free speech for all. I'm branded as the bigot or the reactionary. It's like nuance and critical thinking had become dirty words in our vocabulary. And this shift in thinking, this abandonment of principles in favor of following the crowd. It's not just frustrating. It's dangerous. When people stop questioning authority, when they blindly accept whatever narrative is being pushed by the establishment, we lose our best defense against tyranny and oppression. History is full of examples of what happens when people stop thinking for themselves and start blindly following authority. From the rise of totalitarian regimes to the implementation of disastrous economic policies, the consequences of groupthink and blind obedience are historically well documented, and often tragic. And that's why I just can't sit back and watch this happen anymore. That's why I continue to speak out to to question to challenge the prevailing narratives, not because I think I have all the answers far from it. But because I believe that asking questions, thinking critically and valuing individual liberty are essential to maintaining a free and adjust society. But here's the thing. It's getting harder and harder to have these these frank conversations. The polarization in our society has reached such extreme levels, that it often feels like we're not even speaking the same language anymore. This is Tower of Babel stuff. I mean, try to question the official narrative on any hot button issue, and you're immediately labeled and dismissed. Try to propose a Liberty based solution to a problem. You're accused of not caring about people. This is a classic case of what psychologists call belief perseverance, the tendency for people to cling to their beliefs, even when presented with contradictory evidence. And once people have invested emotionally into a particular worldview or narrative, they become resistance resistant rather to the information that challenges that that view. This is the sunk cost fallacy economically speaking, speaking. And I mean, boy, oh, boy, we have seen a lot of emotional investments in narratives over the past few years. And that is why I've changed my approach here. Instead of just trying to debunk every bad idea or flawed policy proposal that comes along, I've been more focused on understanding the root Root of where these ideas come from. Why are people so quick to embrace authoritarians solutions? Why are they so willing to give up their freedoms in exchange for this false sense of security? Why do they trust governments and corporations that have repeatedly shown themselves to be untrustworthy? These are the questions we need to be asking. Because until we understand the underlying thought processes, and motivations that lead people to embrace these ideas, we have no means to see our society back to the principles of individual liberty and personal responsibility. And it's not an easy task. It requires patience, empathy, and a willingness to engage with ideas that we might find and are repugnant. It means being willing to listen, really listen to people we disagree with, and to try to understand where they're coming from, even if we think their conclusions are dead wrong. But it's necessary. And if we don't do it, if we don't find a way to build this bridge of the growing, divide, and reconnect with the principles that once unite us, I fear for the future of our society. If you're for a world where questioning authority is seen as a crime, where individual liberty is sacrificed on the altar of collective security, and where free thought is replaced by groupthink. So yeah, it's been wild. Watching friends change so dramatically over the past few short years. And it's been frustrating. It's been disheartening, and at times, it's been downright infuriating. But it's also been a wake up call. It's been a reminder about how precious our freedoms are, and how easily they can be eroded if we're not vigilant. And by the way, to those friends, who have changed, who have abandoned the principles that we want share, I say this. It's not too late. The capacity for critical thinking, for questioning authority for valuing individual liberty, it's still there inside you feel like Luke Skywalker talking to Darth Vader, you just forgotten how to use it. But it's it's like riding a bike. Once you start pedaling again, it all it all comes back. Okay to those friends who will remain steadfast to continue to question to think critically devalue Liberty above all else, yes, you, you keep fighting, and you keep fighting that good fight. We might be outnumbered. We may be voices crying out into the wilderness. But we are on the right side of history. I know everybody loves that expression, we're on the right side of history we are because a society that values free thought, a society that values individual liberty, a society that values personal responsibility, that's a society that can weather any storm, and overcome any challenge. And in the end, that's what this is all about. It's not just about winning arguments, or being right. It's about preserving the principles that allow for human flourishing. It's about protecting us from tyranny. And it's about giving us freedom to live our lives as we see fit. So let's keep asking why. Let's keep challenging narratives. Let's keep valuing liberty. Because in a world that increasingly seems bent on being comfortable, and controlling our principles are way more important than ever. And who knows, maybe by continuing to question to think critically to stand firm on our principles, we might just inspire some of those old friends to remember the values they once held, dear. Oh, here's the hoping anyways. All right, folks, that's all we have for you this week. I really enjoyed our conversations. We had Andrea Sampson here on the show great chat with her. Also, we did a deep dive Yes, a very, very much so a deep dive into the media's collapse of control of the narrative. And we highlighted yes, that bade Baden that Biden debate disaster and highlighted some of the things we talked about there with Andrea on how to effectively tell good stories and where the media has been dropping the ball. So go ahead, check out those past episodes here this week. Coming up. Next week. We

have a really good episode in store for you to kick things off on Monday Brian Rivera is returning to the show. And he's gonna give you the blueprint of how to win your elections across the board stay local, or if you're running for national office, Brian is going to give you the blueprint so make sure you've hit that subscribe button so you don't miss that episode as we have that go live here on Monday of next week. Now with that being said, if you enjoyed today's episode, please go ahead and give it a share when you do tag yours truly at be Nichols liberty on Twitter on Facebook on Insta grin wherever it is you consume your social media content. And as for the The Brian Nichols Show itself video version can find us over on your favorite video platform YouTube rumble, and yes, Twitter and Facebook. We are uploading the entire video version of The Brian Nichols Show in its entirety over on those platforms and for the podcast version of the show. Your favorite podcasting apps, Apple podcasts, Spotify, YouTube music, I like podcast addict wherever it is, just do me a favor, hit that subscribe button. And of course if you're joining us on the video version of the show, hit that like button hit that subscribe button and head down below into the comments. We want to hear your thoughts I want to hear your thoughts have you been in a similar situation that yours truly has been in were friends that you thought you shared values with now you find yourselves butting heads. I want to hear your stories down below. Let us know your thoughts in the comments. And one final plug and that is to please support the folks who support us our amazing sponsors like our phenomenal sponsors amp America, our studio sponsors, cardio miracle plus our amazing other sponsors like eagles, CBD liquid freedom energy tea, and our friends over at Indy emporium and their Michael Scott 2024 40 day plan shirt, go ahead and catch all of those are on our homepage. And our sponsor pages use code TB NS for a special discount or gift applied at checkout. With that being said, Yes, make sure you tune in next week for our conversation with Brian Rivera. But otherwise, it's Brian Nichols signing off. You're on The Brian Nichols Show. We'll see you next week.

Disembodied Voice of Matt Ultan, Vocal Artist Extraordinaire  21:28  
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