Whether you want to call it the backfire effect, belief perseverance, egocentric bias, or even the sunk cost fallacy, there's always going to be a significant number of people who will not change their entrenched view.
If anything, presenting evidence to the contrary simply serves to reinforce that view (at whichever end of the political spectrum you find them).
https://effectiviology.com/backfire-effect-facts-dont-change-minds/
You can also bring cognitive dissonance to this party. If someone holds the view that Johnson is great (for whatever reason, but for some it's definitely "getting Brexit done"), they don't want to accept anything that shows what a **** he is, because doing so creates an uncomfortable feeling of holding opposing opinions. To get rid of the discomfort, they have 3 options:
What I will also say is that with regard to option 1 above, this is more likely if the alternative presented isn't extreme. Hero to criminal zero is less likely to happen than hero to "misguided former hero whose time is up".
As much as I am enjoying the Boris pile-on (and contribute to it), it doesn't help in the efforts to finally flush the turd away and get him out of public life. The trouble is, he really deserves it, so it's incredibly hard not to revel in it even though it's counter-productive.
It's somewhat like the storyline in Ghostbusters II - the negativity just feeds the beast. Maybe we need a nationwide rendition of Auld Lang Syne to get rid of Boris the Carpathian once and for all?
If anything, presenting evidence to the contrary simply serves to reinforce that view (at whichever end of the political spectrum you find them).
https://effectiviology.com/backfire-effect-facts-dont-change-minds/
You can also bring cognitive dissonance to this party. If someone holds the view that Johnson is great (for whatever reason, but for some it's definitely "getting Brexit done"), they don't want to accept anything that shows what a **** he is, because doing so creates an uncomfortable feeling of holding opposing opinions. To get rid of the discomfort, they have 3 options:
- Abandon their original view (accept they were wrong and Johnson isn't great)
- Reinforce their original position - seek out information that supports the idea Johnson is great (read & believe the Daily Mail: "he got Brexit done / vaccine rollout / only PM who could win the GE for the Tories")
- Downplay whatever Johnson has done that would make him seem less great (it's normal - they are all liars/in it for themselves/incompetent; or it was only birthday cake/leaving dos; or the inquiry report might seem damning, but it wasn't fair/ kangaroo court /undemocratic etc etc
What I will also say is that with regard to option 1 above, this is more likely if the alternative presented isn't extreme. Hero to criminal zero is less likely to happen than hero to "misguided former hero whose time is up".
As much as I am enjoying the Boris pile-on (and contribute to it), it doesn't help in the efforts to finally flush the turd away and get him out of public life. The trouble is, he really deserves it, so it's incredibly hard not to revel in it even though it's counter-productive.
It's somewhat like the storyline in Ghostbusters II - the negativity just feeds the beast. Maybe we need a nationwide rendition of Auld Lang Syne to get rid of Boris the Carpathian once and for all?