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Pendapat Mayoritas Bukan Kebenaran/Foto: Magnific

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👤 anindya • 27/10/2026

Ever heard someone say, “Everyone knows it’s true!” as if the fact that many people agree is enough to prove something? For critical thinkers, statements like this can raise new questions: is the opinion truly supported by evidence, or is it just following group beliefs?

Social psychologist Robert Cialdini from Arizona State University discusses the phenomenon of social proof, which is the tendency for people to use the actions or beliefs of others as guidance to determine what is considered true. In certain situations, we do use other people’s opinions to help make decisions.

However, widespread agreement does not automatically prove that a claim is true. It’s possible that they obtained information from the same source or have not considered other perspectives.

Therefore, conversations among critical thinkers often involve questions like, “What evidence supports that opinion?” or “Is there a possibility of another explanation?” For them, understanding the reasoning behind a belief is far more important than simply knowing how many people agree with it.

Menggunakan Kalimat Klise untuk Menggantikan Argumen

Memakai Kalimat Klise untuk Mengganti Argumentasi/Foto: Magnific

“It all happens for a reason.”

You might have heard that phrase when someone is facing failure, missing an opportunity, or experiencing a disappointing situation. Although it sounds comforting, that sentence may not necessarily help people understand what is actually happening.

Psychologist Norbert Schwarz from the University of Southern California has studied how the ease with which someone processes information can affect their judgment. In the concept of processing fluency, information that feels familiar and easy to understand is sometimes more easily considered true, even though that ease does not guarantee accuracy.

Clichés can sound convincing because we have heard them so often. As a result, a person might use them without truly considering whether the expression fits the situation being discussed.

People with critical thinking skills usually expect more concrete explanations. They want to know the reason behind an opinion, not just hear expressions that sound wise.

Mengulang Pendapat dengan Lebih Keras tanpa Menjawab Pertanyaan

Mengulang Pendapat Lebih Keras Tanpa Memberi Jawaban/Foto: Magnific

Imagine you’re discussing a decision with a colleague. You ask about the reason behind that decision, but he just repeats his opinion louder and more firmly.

Does that answer make his argument stronger? Not necessarily, Thecuy!

Repeating a statement with emphasis doesn’t automatically provide new information. If the initial question remains unanswered, the issue being discussed is essentially still the same.

Critical thinkers usually try to understand the content of the argument, not just pay attention to how confident someone sounds when delivering it. They will attempt to ask questions again to clarify the part that hasn’t been answered.

If the interlocutor keeps repeating the same statement without providing an explanation, they may choose to end the discussion. Not because they have no answer, but because the conversation is no longer helping both parties understand the issue.

Menganggap Nada Percaya Diri sebagai Jaminan Kebenaran

Menganggap Jaminan Kebenaran adalah Nada Percaya Diri/Foto: Magnific

Ever met someone who expresses an opinion with such confidence that others immediately believe it? For example, someone says that house prices will definitely fall next year without explaining the source of information or the reasoning behind it.

His tone may sound convincing. But is that conviction enough to ensure that his prediction is correct?

Solomon Asch’s research in the 1950s on conformity showed that group pressure can cause someone to follow the majority answer, even when that answer contradicts their own judgment. This phenomenon illustrates that social influence can affect how people express or maintain opinions.

People with critical thinking skills try to separate a person’s belief from the quality of the evidence they have. They might ask, “What is the basis for that conclusion?” or “Where did that information come from?”

Questions like these are not always forms of distrust or a desire to embarrass others. On the contrary, they want to ensure that a claim is evaluated based on relevant information, not just how it is delivered.

Mengumpulkan Fakta Hanya untuk Membenarkan Kesimpulan Sendiri

Mengumpulkan Fakta Hanya untuk Membenarkan Pendapat Sendiri/Foto: Magnific

Ever discussed with someone who had already decided who was wrong before hearing the full explanation? No matter what information you gave, he always found a reason to maintain his opinion.

That situation could be related to confirmation bias, which is the tendency to seek, interpret, or remember information that supports an existing belief. This bias can make someone feel that his argument is strong because he only pays attention to facts that align with his views.

For example, someone believes that a new school policy harms students. He then collects some parental complaints and one bad experience as evidence, but ignores other data that might provide a different picture.

Critical thinkers will try to see whether the evidence used is strong enough and whether there is important information that has been missed. They are also willing to consider the possibility that their initial conclusion may be incorrect.

If someone cannot imagine any evidence that could change his view, the conversation risks turning into an attempt to justify oneself. Critical thinking is not about always being skeptical of others, but also about being brave enough to evaluate one’s own beliefs.

Critical thinkers usually appreciate conversations that provide space to ask questions, examine evidence, and consider different perspectives. They tend not to be satisfied with opinions that rely only on majority approval, clichés, repetition, confidence, or selectively chosen facts.

So, try to pay attention to your everyday conversations. Are you already giving reasons when expressing opinions and willing to listen to different information?

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