Adrian P Baxter

[Adrian P Baxter @apbsax]

how easy is it to think you're following the truth, just because a large amount of people are saying it's true, when it's actualy not?
It's extremely easy — and one of the most common human cognitive traps.Humans are wired for social conformity. Evolutionary psychology shows group acceptance improved survival, so our brains treat widespread agreement as a shortcut for "truth." This is called social proof or the bandwagon effect. Studies like Solomon Asch's conformity experiments (1950s) demonstrated that people will deny obvious facts (e.g., which line is longer) if enough others say otherwise — error rates jumped dramatically with group pressure.Why it feels convincing
Echo chambers amplify it: Algorithms on platforms like X prioritize popular content, creating the illusion of consensus. A post with 12k likes (like Bishop Barron's) feels like "everyone" agrees, even if the broader population or evidence disagrees.
Availability bias: What you see most (likes, reposts, supportive replies) feels truer than quieter counter-evidence.
Emotional comfort: Aligning with the crowd reduces cognitive dissonance and social risk. Dissent feels lonely or risky.
History is full of examples: majorities once "knew" the Earth was flat, bloodletting cured disease, certain moral panics were justified, or economic/political systems were infallible — until evidence or better reasoning prevailed. Major scientific shifts (e.g., heliocentrism, germ theory) faced majority https://t.co/rXeWQXWBtT to counter itTruth isn't democratic. Verify via primary evidence, logic, falsifiability, and diverse sources — not headcounts. Ask: What is the actual data? Are there incentives for the crowd to believe this? What do skeptics say with evidence? Popularity can signal truth in benign cases (e.g., basic math), but it's unreliable for complex, contested, or emotionally charged topics. Independent thinking is harder but more reliable.

[Adrian P Baxter @apbsax]

@BishopBarron Let's play Lick the Bishop's Boots much? Tastes like...salvation.

[Adrian P Baxter @apbsax]

@ZelenskyyUa The road to Putin's Hell is paved with the blood of Ukrainian children.

[Adrian P Baxter @apbsax]

@NotHoodlum Who says M&M's don't poison us?

[Adrian P Baxter @apbsax]

@Mollyploofkins is that motocross guy even alive?

[Adrian P Baxter @apbsax]

@MrsRoyKeaneo Cpt. Mal: "nice hat".

[Adrian P Baxter @apbsax]

@morgfair No more wire hangers..ever.

[Adrian P Baxter @apbsax]

@AdamKinzinger Sometimes you gotta waterboard teenagers. I think it's allowed in public schools...in that state.

[Adrian P Baxter @apbsax]

@mmpadellan - boxes and boxes of classified documents.

[Adrian P Baxter @apbsax]

@herotimeszero The few, the brave, the proud: Special Unit Algae Detail

[Adrian P Baxter @apbsax]

@BarbMcQuade I dub thee..Dipshitimus Maximus; King of the Dipshits.

[Adrian P Baxter @apbsax]

@nexta_tv wow

[Adrian P Baxter @apbsax]

@lil_doza What's in the bag? 3 guesses.

[Adrian P Baxter @apbsax]

Bombing people isn't evil at all. Especially when they’re _____. Fill in the blank. It's a game.

[Adrian P Baxter @apbsax]

@Bluegirl135673 Why is Cpt. Bone Spurrs depected in a uniform here?

[Adrian P Baxter @apbsax]

@BhattiLaib9960 shared

[Adrian P Baxter @apbsax]

https://t.co/Gp8cNuYHYT

[Maria Rose ❤️ @BhattiLaib9960]

Respect to Stephen King for showing that conviction matters more than approval. Are you with him?

[Adrian P Baxter @apbsax]

@BhattiLaib9960 outstanding

[Adrian P Baxter @apbsax]

Said crony, John Cafaro; Grok: Facts align with pattern: Cafaro's history of campaign finance violations and bribery-related guilty pleas, combined with his donations to Trump and the sole-source award, fits the classic definition of favoritism over competitive process.
https://t.co/TEOD7FNRlG

[Adrian P Baxter @apbsax]

@cwebbonline was it maybe, a person of color? hmmmm?