Maybe We Shouldn’t Give Up on Facts Just Yet
Facts alone often fail. Facts with credibility? Different story.
Over many episodes, we’ve heard the mantra: facts don’t change minds. In fact, plenty of research, and many of the experts we’ve had on this podcast, have shown how partisan talking points or blunt “fact-checks” can backfire, pushing people even deeper into their existing beliefs.
But maybe the story is more complicated.
In new research, social scientist Nick Stagnaro found that when people engaged with a deeper, structured set of factual information on a divisive issue like gun control, their positions actually shifted. Not in a radical way, but in a meaningful one—toward a more nuanced middle ground.
The key wasn’t the facts alone. It was how the facts were introduced: building trust, affirming what people already know, and establishing credibility. Without that, facts feel like weapons—and we know how people respond when they feel attacked.
This finding resonates with James Fishkin’s work on deliberative polling, where people are given the chance to understand the true trade-offs behind real-world policies. Time and again, exposure to nuance softens extreme positions and moves people closer to common ground.
So no, Stagnaro’s work doesn’t invalidate what we’ve learned about polarization or the dangers of weaponized facts. But it does offer hope that under the right conditions—where trust comes first—facts can still matter.
Maybe it’s not that facts don’t work. Maybe we just haven’t been using them the right way.
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2 Weeks Away — Don’t miss this special event!
We’re just two weeks out from the live screening of Selma, Beacon of Hope. This powerful short documentary reminds us that—just as in Selma 1965—the change we need today starts in our local communities.
After the film, I’ll be in conversation with creator Rich Harwood, followed by a live audience Q&A. Don’t miss this chance to watch, reflect, and join the discussion.
👉 Reserve your spot now: outrageoverload.net/selma