Psychological Mind Viruses that Destroy Critical Thinking
Becoming aware of these self-limiting behaviors will enhance our discernment and lessen the ability of manipulators to manipulate
Jordan Sather
Post on September 7, 2025
As more and more people realize and accept the fact that our mainstream media apparatus is full of disinformation, they’re moving toward searching for their news through other sources - alternative media websites, podcasts, and influencer social media accounts. While this is a good idea in practice, the intention of moving to potentially less biased and more truthful sources, sometimes these information consumers bring their same faulty information processing behaviors with them. They think they are waking up, yet the same way they were brainwashed by the mainstream media is the same way they are getting brainwashed by psy-ops and agendas within alternative and social media. Not every “truth telling” influencer is in it for the right reasons.
Just because one is not watching the mainstream media for their information, doesn’t necessarily mean they operating with proper critical thinking.Our education system and culture in general does us no favor as well, for schools, universities, organized religions, and authority institutions value regurgitation of information rather than questioning standard orthodoxy and digging for real meaning. “Sit down, shut up, and believe what we tell you”. It can be difficult to break out of these behaviors ingrained into us since our youth.To truly advance critical thinking, hone our discernment, and learn how to wake up to the Matrix, we must have the courage to stand out amongst the crowd, and have the discipline to take a look at our own habits of thinking. This will make analyzing information from any media, mainstream or otherwise, far more efficient and make ourselves much more immune to any manipulation agendas at play.Interested in honing your discernment and strengthening your critical thinking?
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Here are a few discernment-dampening mind viruses to be aware of when processing information and making decisions:
Confirmation BiasConfirmation Bias is the tendency for our brains to search for, interpret, and favor information that reinforces our already held thoughts and beliefs, and most of the time we have no idea we are operating with confirmation bias. It is an unconscious process, for admitting that we have confirmation bias opens up the possibility that our preconceived notions might be wrong, and our egos don’t like that.Confirmation Bias is displayed when people choose information, even if it’s wrong, that supports their views, when they ignore contrary information, and when they interpret ambiguous information as evidence to support their views when it really isn’t. Social Media is especially dangerous for confirmation bias style thinking due to “filter bubbles” that we either make for ourselves from who we choose to follow (subscribing to people who post what we like to hear), or through the platform’s algorithms that show us content it knows will keep us happy and engaged so we stay on the platform.Examples of confirmation bias are varied, from political, religious, or scientific beliefs. It may present when we are obsessed with a social media influencer on the internet and choose to completely disregard negative information that comes out showing they are a fraud. In one of my lines of work (conspiracy theory media), I see confirmation bias everywhere. Recently I’ve been focusing on RFK Jr’s MAHA work, and the amount of confirmation bias from pro-vaccine believers is incredible. There is tons of confirmation bias in the minds of Flat Earthers. The Q movement has been displaying plenty of confirmation bias with the proliferation of arbitrary, ambiguous "decodes" that make no real sense. I could go on and on with examples.We all display some form of confirmation bias, really, in varying amounts at varying times. The ultimate goal is to identify when we might be displaying it and then entertain contrary ideas to assess whether our mind is going down the path of objective truth or not, basically playing devil’s advocate with ourselves and questioning our own thoughts and ideas. It’s often suggested to not question yourself, but this isn’t questioning yourself or your potential, this is questioning your thinking. Much different. Questioning our own thinking, in my opinion, is necessary to make sure it stays critical. “Am I on the right path here? Let me assess to make sure I’m not being manipulated by my own thoughts of what I want to be true”…
Cognitive DissonanceCognitive dissonance is related to confirmation bias, as it involves the subject of conflicting belief systems. As we tend to choose information that agrees with our preconceived notions with confirmation bias, when we come into contact with contrary information, one process our minds use to discredit the contradictory evidence, even if it's true, is cognitive dissonance. When humans come into contact with truthful information that discredits the false ideas in their head, they tend to get cognitive dissonance within their subconscious that brings out emotion. They get upset, agitated, and even angry at this conflicting information that proves them wrong. It is the untamed ego lashing out.An example of cognitive dissonance is pretty much anybody in your life that has ever called you names and conducted personal attacks against you and your character for calling them out on their B.S. Cognitive dissonance is just as prevalent in our lives as confirmation bias. When cognitive dissonance creeps in, an emotional response typically takes place as a defense mechanism. Instead of actually entertaining the contrary idea or belief to see whether it is true or not and assessing one’s own thinking, they resort to attacking the contrary idea or the messenger of the idea itself. Again on social media, cognitive dissonance is especially present because it is too easy for somebody to hide behind a keyboard and attack people on the platforms instead of remaining humble and having substantial conversation with someone that has differing beliefs.Combatting cognitive dissonance comes down to exactly that, humility, along with mastery of our own emotions and the understanding that it is simply conflicting thought forms we are working through, it's not a physical threat, so there’s no reason to get upset or defensive. Try to notice any kind of emotional response within yourself when you encounter information or ideas you disagree with.Belief systems, or belief bubbles are often times very rigid within people. We must try to move through life with a mindset that can be challenged and changed. We must be open minded, just of course not too open minded that our brains fall out.”The truth is what it is, either you bend to it’s will or you live a lie.”- Miyamoto Musashi
GroupthinkGroupthink is a psychological phenomenon that occurs within a group of people in which the desire for harmony or conformity in the group results in an irrational or dysfunctional decision making process. Humans are social beings, and the fear of ostracization is a very strong one that causes us to do some silly things sometimes. Argumentum ad populum, or the appeal to consensus, is related as it is a logical fallacy that asserts a claim is true just because many people think so. Just because many people believe something is true, doesn’t make it so - but people will be more likely to believe this thing because they do not want to be seen as outcasts.Establishment propagandsists use groupthink all the time - espeially in the form of having 100 different talking heads on TV repeat the name narrative. Hearing the same thing from different sources manipulates people into more easily believing the narrative. It also takes place in the form of fake polls to fabricate consensus. “Wow, this poll said 70% of people believe this! Maybe I should believe it, too, then…”Groupthink requires individuals to avoid raising controversial issues or alternative solutions, thus creating a loss of individual creativity, uniqueness, and independent thinking. A perfect recipe for control by authoritarians who want to be in charge. Furthermore, groupthink tends to produce separate groups, a "in group” and a "out group”. The "out group" is marginalized from those within the consensus and they are often dehumanized. Shun the non believer!The best example of groupthink in modern times is the Covid phenomenon. The in group were those that “trusted the science” and went along with whatever the TV talking heads and “health experts” said. Those in the out group who did not wear masks, lockdown, socially isolate, or take the vaccine were ostracized and dehumanized. They were fired from jobs, not allowed into restaurants, and called grandma killers.Groupthink is also very prominent within organized religions, as well as large businesses, institutions, and science. The “scientific consensus” is a strong brainwashing machine. It is also prevalent in ideologies that spread amongst the Internet, which could be anything from veganism, to carnivore dieting, to whatever political label people identify with or any other ideology people want to identify with. This is one reason labels can de dangerous, as it creates a special group that people will identify with and they will outcast those who do not adhere to this specific label.Combatting groupthink simply requires questioning any kind of belief or ideology that is popular or going viral. “Do all these people believe this thing because it’s true, or because they are being manipulated to do so?”. Groupthink is closely related to cult-like thinking and behaviors.”When all think alike, no one is thinking."- Walter Lippman
Ego IdentificationEgo identification is a term that I invented, but it encapsulates much of what I've been writing about in this article. It is related to confirmation bias, cognitive dissonance, groupthink, and all the other mind viruses the plague modern NPC behavior.I describe ego identification as the placing of validation and belonging over the importance of truth. Again, we are social creatures and our “brokenness” often leads us to seeking validation, so we will attach to ideas and beliefs to find that validation and emotional support regardless of their reasonableness and truthfulness. We will then go through mental gymnastics to tell ourselves that these beliefs are true and maintain our place within a respective group.This is why I often stress being cautious with labels. Labeling ourselves as Vegan, Carnivore, Conservative, Liberal, Christian, Atheist, etc. etc. not always, but can sometimes lead down the path of groupthink and cult-like thinking - because if you don’t adhere to the general ideals of what others within that group abide by, then you are not a real [insert label] and will be shunned. Labels can come with a blanket set of preconceived notions upon adherence or admittance to the group, so one will automatically believe what the rest of [label] believes. What if some days I eat carnivore, but some days I eat vegan. What am I? What if I research Christians books and agree with some things from them, but then research other religious or spiritual traditions and practice some of their ideas, too. What am I? Labels create boxes, and boxes create limitations, a reduction of mental flexibility. Labeling yourself as a thing is not always bad, but the ego identification and behavior that may follow is to be cautious of.
Jordan Sather
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