Weekly Quote: John Kenneth Galbraith on Changing Minds

This week’s quote comes to us from John Kenneth Galbraith. Galbraith was a professor of economics at Harvard University, United States Ambassador to India under John F. Kennedy from 1961 to 1963, and an advisor to President Johnson. He was also a prolific author of dozens of books, including several memoirs and highly regarded books about history, the economy, and society.

It’s easier and more comfortable to reinforce your current beliefs than question them. So you probably seek out information that helps support and reinforce the things you believe. Most people do this occasionally, and it takes effort to overcome.

Despite the challenges associated with rethinking, the next time you have an opportunity to do it after collecting new information, you should. It may feel difficult in the short term, but it’s worth it because you stand to gain a new and potentially more valuable perspective that can help you grow as a person.

I recommend reading Think Again by Adam Grant if you want to learn more about this idea. Adam does a lot of research on how useful it is to think like a scientist and not a prosecutor or a preacher when searching for the truth. As is usual with his books, the narrative is compelling and the argument is sound. The audiobook, narrated wonderfully by the author, also an experienced podcaster with a talent for telling stories, is worth listening to as well.