In True Enough, Farhad Manjoo describes two psychological methods, the central and peripheral processes, which help us make our decisions. I think that these two mechanisms are important, especially in the context of this book, because they explain how we make decisions. They help us choose what experts to trust and listen to, and this factor plays a part in what we consider to be the truth.
The first and more rigorous method, the central route, "describes a diligent attempt to investigate the facts of a case" (118). This takes up more time, and we will use this strategy when we really want to analyze something. I think that this method is also probably more valid, because we are researching the information in-depth ourselves. On the other hand, the peripheral route uses "'cues'- like emotional reactions or what an expert or a celebrity or some other trustworthy figure thinks- to guide us toward a decision" (118). While this method can be great when we have no free time to analyze the decision ourselves, I think that this method can be particularly dangerous; by using peripheral cues, we are putting all our trust in a person or group.
Overall, I found these two concepts to be intriguing because before, I had never really noticed how I make certain decisions. Now, I will be more aware of which method, the central or peripheral, I tend to use in different circumstances.
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