Stupid Gone Viral – What Happens When We Stop Asking Questions
- L3 Fusion LLC
- 2 hours ago
- 3 min read
[October 22, 2025] by Kathy Scott, PhD, and Bridget Sarikas
If you’ve read our book Stupid Gone Viral: Where Science and Reality Collide, and we hope you have, you already know just how contagious half-baked ideas and surface-level thinking can be. These days, it’s wild how easy it is to latch onto an identity or ideology and just roll with it — never bothering to scratch beneath the surface. Kind of like being kicked out of a fitness class once and writing a memoir called “The Pilates Betrayal.” Whether it’s politics, social issues, or even how we think about work and health, people often cling to labels or slogans that make them feel like they belong to something bigger. But the problem is that surface-level buy-in can blind us to the real facts, the messy details, and the context that actually matter. Instead of asking why or how, we just pick a side, follow the crowd, and double down when we’re challenged — which, let’s be honest, only makes things worse. It’s amazing how confident people get when repeating something they didn’t research.
It doesn’t have to be this way. Research on critical thinking and cognitive bias shows that simple actions like asking more questions, talking to people outside our usual bubble, and slowing down before hitting that “share” button really help. Studies have found that exposing ourselves to diverse viewpoints, practicing active listening, and getting comfortable with uncertainty make us better at seeing the shades of gray — not just black and white. It’s so important because every big issue today — climate change, public health, even local community stuff — is complex and layered. If we all dug deeper instead of living on the surface, we’d make better choices, hold leaders accountable, and probably argue less and solve more. It takes effort, but the payoff is a world where people think for themselves instead of just yelling the same soundbites louder and louder. This is minding the gap!
So, dig deep — and remember, it’s totally okay to say, “I don’t know.” You don’t have to have all the answers (and quite frankly that would be boring); what matters is having the courage to get the shovel out and start digging. Try a simple “Why do I believe this?” journal where you write down an opinion and unpack where it comes from — and if you hit a gap, admit you don’t know and look it up. Read news from a source you normally avoid, just to see how the same story can be told differently.
And here’s a new critical thinking tool for your mental toolbox: steelmanning. This powerful idea was popularized by philosopher and cognitive scientist Daniel Dennett, PhD, who spent his career studying how our minds work and how we fool ourselves. Dennett included steelmanning in what he calls his “Rules for Criticizing with Kindness” — a simple but profound approach: before you argue back, restate someone’s idea so clearly and fairly that they say, “Yes, that’s exactly what I meant!” Then, point out what you learned from it and only then offer your counterpoints. It’s a game-changer for having real conversations instead of pointless debates. This is the new cool!
We have one request - carve out time for honest chats with people who disagree with you (without trying to win) to stretch your perspective. These little exercises flex your curiosity muscle, help you sit with uncertainty, and keep you grounded in the real, messy truth instead of easy slogans.
Titter Time:
“I don’t like to think before I speak. I like to be just as surprised as everyone else about what comes out of my mouth.”
~ Author unknown.