I’ve been thinking lately about why, in debates (usually) about highly emotional topics, so many people seem unable to acknowledge even minor wrongdoings or mistakes from “their” side, even when doing so wouldn’t necessarily undermine their broader position.
I’m not here to rehash any particular political event or take sides - I’m more interested in the psychological mechanisms behind this behavior.
For example, it feels like many people bind their identity to a cause so tightly that admitting any fault feels like a betrayal of the whole. I’ve also noticed that criticism toward one side is often immediately interpreted as support for the “other” side, leading to tribal reactions rather than nuanced thinking.
I’d love to hear thoughts on the psychological underpinnings of this. Why do you think it’s so hard for people to “give an inch” even when it wouldn’t really cost them anything in principle?
I’m arguing that there IS clear evidence otherwise. The fact that they’re not acting in a way that is consistent with the belief that life begins at conception is a problem. And saying that they don’t understand their own belief is much nicer than saying that they’re horrible people who let death happen when they could have stopped it.
And I think the point of these discussions is to exactly fix your final point. To iron out the inconsistencies and find the truth.