Scherpdenkers: Ruben Mersch

Ruben Mersch

Ruben Mersch studied philosophy and biology. After a career in the pharmaceutical industry, he changed course and chose what truly fascinates him: exposing the blind spots in our thinking. As the author of three books, a columnist for De Standaard , and a correspondent for De Correspondent, he investigates why smart people believe stupid things, why disagreeing is sometimes so difficult, and how we can escape the trenches of being right.

Why polarization is positive

Polarization has a bad reputation. Rightly so, it seems. We quarrel about everything: about major themes such as global warming or migration, but also about the color of Santa Claus's helper's face. Every societal debate threatens to bog down in a war of attrition in which two camps, both armed to the teeth with facts, attack each other. In doing so, we use knowledge less and less to gain insight into a complex reality, and more and more as ammunition to fire at our opponents. At first glance, that tribal thinking seems like a bug, a flaw in our neurological wiring. But that is not entirely true. We need polarization. We all wear blinders and see primarily what fits into our own worldview. But if everyone wears blinders, this is the only way to learn more: listening to someone who looks at the same reality from a different perspective. Conflicting opinions—provided you add a healthy dose of curiosity—cannot be a threat, but rather a source of insight.