Form Your Own Opinions
TLDR - Many people tend to fully believe and follow everything an influencer they like says and does. Many people also hear someone say something they disagree with and completely write them off, dismissing everything they say as wrong. In reality, it's not about being entirely right or wrong. We need to learn to unemotionally digest information and form our own opinions.
No Ones Entirely Right
Influencers build trust with their audiences by being relatable and authentic. This trust can sometimes lead followers to accept everything they say and do without question. When an influencer endorses a product or a lifestyle choice, their followers may immediately adopt it, believing it to be the best option simply because their favorite influencer said so. This blind adherence can lead to various issues, including financial decisions, health choices, and lifestyle changes that might not be suitable for everyone.
The Dangers of Blind Trust
Turning Off Critical Thinking: When we follow an influencer's advice without evaluation, we switch off our critical thinking skills. We stop analyzing information and making decisions based on our unique needs and circumstances. This can lead to poor choices and missed opportunities to learn and grow.
Financial Incentives: Influencers often have financial ties to the products and services they promote. While many are transparent about these relationships, others might not disclose them. This makes it challenging for consumers to know whether an endorsement is genuine or financially motivated.
Experts Aren't Always Right: Similar to influencers, experts may also have biases or financial incentives. While their advice can be valuable, it's crucial to remember that they might focus on specific problems without considering the broader picture. Their recommendations might address a particular issue but cause harm in other areas.
This one might be controversial so let me expand. Think of your body like a house. Imagine that a roofer comes to inspect your home and tells you that you absolutely need a new roof. They emphasize that without this new roof, your house will be more susceptible to hail damage. They claim to be experts in their field, so naturally, you feel inclined to trust their judgment. However, the roofer is only considering the health of your house from a roofing perspective. What if installing a heavier, more durable roof would cause stress on the walls and foundations of the house, potentially leading to cracks or structural failures? The roofer isn’t considering the impact on the entire house and only their area of expertise.
This analogy applies to how we sometimes receive advice from experts about our health. Experts can offer valuable insights into specific issues, just as the roofer knows roofs well. However, experts may also have biases, whether they stem from their area of expertise, personal beliefs, or financial incentives. They might focus on solving a particular problem without considering the broader impact on your overall health. For instance, a doctor might recommend a medication that effectively addresses one health issue, but if not considered carefully, this treatment might lead to other problems, such as side effects or interactions with other medications you're taking.
It’s crucial to remember that, just like the roofer might not see the whole picture of your house, health experts might not always see the whole picture of your body. Their recommendations might be well intentioned and effective in their area of specialty, but they can inadvertently cause harm in other areas if not evaluated in the context of your overall health. This is why it’s important to approach expert advice with critical thinking, considering the whole body before making decisions. Just as you wouldn’t want to install a roof that your house can’t support, you don’t want to follow health advice that could lead to other issues down the line.
No Ones Entirely Wrong
Conversely, many people dismiss someone entirely if they encounter a single point of disagreement. This all or nothing approach can be just as harmful as blind trust. It prevents us from considering valuable insights and learning from diverse perspectives.
Critical Thinking
We need to learn to critical think for ourselves and form our own opinions. From a health perspective, understanding how our biological systems works at a high level is what worked best for me. This helps me digest and understand if recommendations logically make sense. It also helps me understand if it is a foundational item that will fix the problem or if its a downstream band aid that is a money maker for someone. Here are additional recommendations:
Evaluate Information: Always consider the source of information. Check the credibility of the influencer or expert. Are they qualified to speak on the topic? Do they have a history of reliable information?
Cross Reference: Don't rely solely on one source. Look for corroborating evidence from multiple reputable sources.
Personal Relevance: Reflect on how the information applies to your situation. Just because something works for someone else doesn't mean it will work for you.
Stay Open Minded: Be willing to listen to different perspectives, even if they challenge your existing beliefs. This doesn't mean you have to agree with everything, but being open to new ideas can enrich your understanding and help you make more informed decisions.
Form Your Own Opinions: Use the information you gather to develop your own informed opinions. Trust in your ability to think critically and make decisions that are best for you.
Financial Incentives: Always consider whether there might be financial incentives behind a recommendation. Influencers and experts alike might promote products or services for monetary gain. This doesn't automatically disqualify their advice, but it's a factor worth considering.