Opinions are hard to shake. People reach conclusions based on a variety of evidence, but most often they are influenced strongly by others in their lives. Parents, friends, co-workers, leaders all spread their views to others, who lovingly lap up every word (either that or swear at them).
How aware are teachers and parents that their viewpoints may be adopted forever by another person? Are they careful to implant the right thoughts at an early age? For example, supposing parents held racist beliefs, would they nevertheless try to hide them from their children? Of course not. And thus is propogated an endless cycle of belief, which becomes very hard to shake. In this way teenage suicide bombers are sent into the world.
Once a person forms an opinion, they seek others with the same viewpoint. People naturally group with others of the same beliefs. Thus political parties are formed, thus student drinking societies.
Perhaps the biggest effect of this is that people automatically read media which conforms to their world-view. Liberals read the Indy or Grauniad, Conservatives read the Torygraph. “Outraged of Market Deeping” will be happiest buried in the Daily Mail.
The first step to understanding is knowledge. Just once, I dare you, go out and read somebody elses newspaper.
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