The Remedy for Group Think

“Stop deceiving yourselves” (1 Corinthians 3:18).

We have done this to ourselves.

Sure, the devil is the ultimate source and propagator of falsehood, but he has useful and willing stooges to help him. If you only listen to people who agree with how you think, you will be snared in a thought trap. This trap is called confirmation bias and works best in the echo chambers of small, isolated groups. It is tribalism, and it causes you to be isolated and incapable of trusting anyone outside of your bubble.

It is also the driving force of division and polarization in our lives.

In politics, group think leads to violence and authoritarianism. In religion, it leads to radical fanaticism. In churches and families, it leads to divisions and heartbreak. Social media amplifies and isolates us even further in self-deception and frivolous performances and obsessions across all platforms. Meanwhile, you think no harm is being done, but our society is fracturing and your life is losing touch with reality.

The remedy is to listen. Listen to God first, and then listen to others not in your tribe.

You aren’t listening to agree or disagree, but simply to connect to another living human being without attacking them. The Scripture puts it this way, “Be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry, for the anger of man does not achieve the righteousness of God” (James 1:19).

Otherwise, how can you ever learn to love God and also your neighbor?