Thatโs the appeal of it, of course. There isnโt a definitive study. There canโt be.
Even if we created a forty-year-long, double-blind twin study, thereโd be room for someone to ask โwhat about?โฆโ
It doesnโt matter that the peer-reviewed and consistent results we have are clear to those who read them with an open mind.
The attraction of simple stories about complex phenomena is that we get to make them up and imbue them with whatever reassurance, solace or threat we choose. Human beings didnโt evolve to be rational decision makers. Weโre creators and consumers of stories, seeking status and affiliation, and prioritizing short-term feelings over long-term evidence.
Itโs nice when a story thatโs precious to us is reinforced by evidence, but itโs rarely essential. Belief isnโt dependent on facts, thatโs why we call it belief instead of facts.
Itโs helpful to wonder who benefits from sharing a particular story with us, and what it costs us to believe it.
