How often do people make assessments about things without checking the facts or "backstory"?

Question

No details yet---that's wny I'm asking.

Answer 1

We pretty much do that with everything we do. Unless there is some indication that there is some further information that is meaningful enough to be worth the extra effort to look for a back story, we have to assume that we know enough to proceed with what we have now.
In Colorado, we don't usually check each piece of trash on the street for indications of it being a roadside bomb, whereas in other places this backstory would be a worthwhile consideration. In these places we would have much less time to attend to other things as a result.

Answer 2

Extreme frequency.

I work in computer troubleshooting.
Someone tells me a story about an alleged problem
I both take them at face value, and check out the most likely problems based on historical patterns from prior incidents.

problem is that many people have some problem, then on basis of observation of symptoms they come up with a theory, sometimes a conspiracy theory, then when they go to seek help, they are telling us their theory, not what happened, not any symptoms, not any error messages

so from their theory, we have to work backwards to figure out what is really going on, and fix it

Is there anything you think you are knowlegeable about that makes it into some movie plot or TV series about some family doing the kind of stuff you know about. Would it be accurate to say that the hollywood production is some kind of science fiction divorced from the rality you know? Do you talk with people in other professions to find out if that is also true for them?

Has anything ever happened in your community that you were a witness to, that was also covered by the national news media? Was the story in the national media ever accurate, or did they put a spin on the story? In my life I have witnessed this several times, and there is always some national media spin that distorts the story.

Marketing works. It motivates people to buy things where if they knew all the facts they would know better.

Years ago I got in snail mail some special interest group wanted me to write some big corporation to complain about something they doing to children in Africa. I was horrified by the story ... if this is true, they should all be arrested for war crimes. So I checked out the story, used sources like UN inspections. I found out the story was totally bogus.

A few days later the President onf a major University was on the news railing against this company for the bad stuff they doing. He must have got the same junk mail and failed to do primary research.

Answer 3

I think that almost everyone does this. People make judgements and decisions based on their first impression or gut instinct. I think that it is a conscious decision to actually check the facts and far too few people can look past their own opinions to do so.

Answer 4

If you are only going for facts find a scientist or research group but if you want human answers and thoughts than just listen and lighten up

Answer 5

How often is a question asked. One look and you know the persons history, even if you have never talked to him.

Answer 6

I'd say it's done quite often, in the media as well as by the average person on the street.

Answer 7

probably lack of time causes them to respond from their past experience on the subject (experienced it personally) or from what they've heard.

Answer 8

way too often and im sorry to say that i am guilty of doing this but that i am trying to stop .

Answer 9

There. I just did! We do it all the time.

Answer 10

yep