This might at first seem like a political-leaning story. But in truth, it’s not. More so, it’s a reminder we could all use about the importance of critical thinking and media literacy.
A content creator named Nick Pringles (@original_pringles) recently went viral after sharing what finally led him to cut ties with a friend who was a MAGA supporter.
It all started with listening to the 2016 hit No Problem by Chance the Rapper.
As Pringles tells it, the two were in a debate about a lyric in the song. Pringles approached this by putting “No Problem Chance the Rapper lyrics” into a Google search, scrolling down to the lyric in question, taking a screenshot, and sending it to his friend.
Meanwhile, the friend merely searched the lyric he thought was correct, and therefore found someone else who incorrectly thought the same, and tried to use that as proof.
And that’s when Pringles knew the friendship “was over.”
“It’s this confirmation bias,” he said in the clip. “They don’t just Google ‘what’s the answer to this question?’ They Google the answer that they’re looking for, so they can find 50 other wrong idiots and be like, ‘See? This is what everybody’s saying.’”
Pringles went on to say that this habit many people have of searching out the information they already assume to be true creates the same kind of echo chamber that allows completely unfounded theories like “the earth is flat” to exist.
Why it’s so easy to fall into
Confirmation bias is insidious by its very nature, and that’s what makes it so dangerous. Even Pringles is showing a bit of a bias here, labeling this as MAGA behavior when people from all sides of the political spectrum have been guilty of it (just to play Devil’s advocate here).
The prevalence of ChatGPT has only amplified the issue, as it’s been specifically trained to validate our preexisting beliefs, complement our ideas, and avoid pushing back unless specifically instructed to do so. And many people use it as a sole source of information.
The tricky part is that confirmation bias rarely feels irrational when we’re in the middle of it. Most people genuinely believe they are being objective. Typing even a slightly slanted search query into Google can seem harmless, but over time, those small habits shape the information we consume and reinforce the narratives we already prefer. Social media algorithms often deepen that cycle by feeding us more of what we already engage with. It’s easy to see how this can form an ideology regardless of efficacy or ethics.
Practicing intellectual honesty
Checking our own confirmation bias requires a little extra effort. We have to take the time to ask, “What evidence would prove me wrong?” to consider alternative possibilities, to examine the sources of our claims, and to be just as critical of data we agree with as we are of data we disagree with. But again, in the age of information (not all of which is wisdom), this effort is essential.
It can also help to intentionally read perspectives outside our usual circles (again from credible sources) that challenge our assumptions in productive ways. That doesn’t mean accepting every opposing viewpoint as equally valid, but it does require being willing to evaluate information based on evidence instead of personal attachment.
None of us are fully immune to confirmation bias, and we won’t ever be. But the goal is to become more aware of the moments when we might be searching for reassurance rather than truth. Awareness alone can change the kinds of questions we ask, the sources we trust, and the conversations we choose to have.
