
Ask HN: Article Comment Addiction? - rosstex
Very often when I&#x27;m reading an article on the Internet, I find that I can&#x27;t completely form my own opinion of the article until I&#x27;ve scrolled down and read the comments. Sometimes I might even jump to the comments before I&#x27;m finished with the article, to possibly confirm my skepticism with the article and then quickly move on. Other times, I will have seriously found solace in the article until I read the comments that ridicule and denounce it, and my opinion completely changes.<p>I see it as a sad trait of mine. I rely too much on the opinions of others to define my own beliefs. I wonder if there&#x27;s any reading material on this subject, but I&#x27;m also really curious what you guys think about this.
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kbenson
Don't see it as a sad trait, see it as seeking a possible counterpoint before
blindly accepting what has been presented. Depending on how familiar you are
with a topic, it can be easy for someone who is more familiar to sway you to a
line of thinking you might not necessarily agree with later, not because they
are lying, or wrong, but because the information they are presenting may be
incomplete. This can be because of their own lack of experience in specifics
areas of the topic, or just a difference of opinion or values regarding
attributes of the topic at hand.

Seeking more information about a topic before committing to an opinion is a
good thing. Embrace it. But don't take my word for it, wait for some others to
chime in, get their takes, and make up your own mind. ;)

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petewailes
It's basic psychology. We all seek out proof we're right, because we don't
want to:

1\. Be/seem wrong 2\. Reevaluate things we believe we know

You're just doing what people do - looking for affirmation that your beliefs
are valid.

Now, the bigger question is is that a good thing. It's easy and comforting to
live in an echo chamber. It's also what puts Trump as the presidential
candidate, makes people dispute the efficacy of vaccinations, and disbelieve
global warming.

It's good to hear other viewpoints, and to actively consider them. That's why
the Democrats haven't effectively answered the challenge of Trump. They don't
sit and think why people would vote for him, and where those people get their
opinions from, so they can't talk to those people effectively.

It's easy to caricature people. Don't become one yourself. Rather than reading
the comments, read the article, then find something that takes the opposing
view. If you're in the UK, think of this as getting The Guardian and The
Telegraph. I'm not entirely sure what the US analogous version would be, but
I'm sure you get the drift.

Come to your own conclusions. You might still be wrong, but at least you'll be
informed and wrong.

