[Rant, Good Links] Irrational Follow-up

The last couple of months I discussed my sense of depression over the realization of how emotional, willfully closed-minded, and immune to reason the human race is. Allow me to present some relevant links on the sad topic.

• Last month I mentioned a possible evolutionary source of this irrational behavior was something called Coalitional Instinct. At the time all I could find on it was a speculative post on The Edge, but now the New Yorker has taken it up so I suppose that means it's officially mainstream.
• My longtime fave Robin Hanson has a bit less meta take on the issue, pointing out the contrast of facts and values in influencing behavior and decision-making, staying away from the strict irrationality angle.
• And then along comes Cracked to go in the opposite direction and come right out and call the fashionably outraged a bunch of Dopamine Puppets. Bless.

Of course, all this is pointless unless you realize it applies to you, not just the Other Side.