Cognitive dissonance
Technology for Smart Cities
Most of your brain functions like a bouncer at a nightclub—nothing gets in without permission. But that permission isn’t logical; it’s emotional and tribal. It aligns completely with your identity.
So when someone hears a message that conflicts with who they believe they are, it actually causes physical discomfort. That discomfort is what we call cognitive dissonance—an internal stress signal triggered in the anterior cingulate cortex.
In response, the brain scrambles to resolve the conflict—either by changing behavior or by rewiring the identity to match the behavior.
But here’s the catch: people almost never change the behavior first. They recode, redefine, or rewrite the story to stop the pain.
- “Everyone else does it.”
- “I was just doing my job.”
Dissonance resolved. Identity stays intact. ~Chase Hughes
Your Brain Is a Bouncer—And Identity Is the Guest List
Information doesn’t just walk in.
Your brain filters what it allows in based on whether it feels safe—socially, emotionally, and existentially. That’s how deeply hardwired your sense of self is.
When New Ideas Hurt
When someone hears something that challenges their current worldview or self-image, it’s not just uncomfortable—it can literally hurt.
This isn’t metaphorical.
Studies show that cognitive dissonance (the mental tension from holding conflicting beliefs) triggers a stress response in the anterior cingulate cortex—the part of the brain that processes errors and detects threats.
It’s as if the brain says:
❗ “This idea threatens my identity. Fix it. Now.”
So it scrambles to resolve that discomfort.
Behavior Doesn’t Usually Change First—The Story Does
Faced with a gap between their actions and their beliefs, most people don’t change the action. They change the narrative to protect their self-image.
Instead of facing hard truth, they:
- Justify: “Everyone else does it.”
- Deflect: “I was just following orders.”
- Minimize: “It’s not a big deal.”
- Victimize: “I had no choice.”
This mental gymnastics doesn’t make someone evil or stupid—it’s just the brain doing its emotional damage control. Its job is to reduce tension and preserve coherence—even at the cost of truth.
Why This Matters So Much
This mechanism is why:
- Smart people double down on bad ideas
- Whole populations can be manipulated without realizing it
- Friends and family can seem unreachable when presented with facts
- Progress feels impossible in a world addicted to comfort and consistency
It’s also why people resist growth—not because they can’t change, but because change hurts more than staying stuck… until it doesn’t.
How Real Change Happens
Change happens when:
- A person feels safe enough to let new information in
- They’re exposed to consistent, non-threatening alternatives
- Their identity is expanded, not attacked
- They feel emotionally empowered, not shamed
“Dissonance resolved. Identity upgraded.”
That’s the path of transformation.
Pop ups suck
This is a representation of my journey and the collaboration of ideas, history, facts, and—at times—my own reflections on them. This is a space for growth and discovery, not for comfort and stagnation. As with everything in life, how you choose to react to the contents here is your own choice—and your own responsibility.