Psychology: Scout Versus Soldier Mindset

   Chances are that you've gotten into a heated political argument with someone recently or in the distant past. Whatever the case may be, there is a good chance that you, the other party - or both of you - were executing a textbook example of the 'soldier mindset' (motivated reasoning.)

Picture is from Google images

   In the battlefield, we all know what soldiers do. But let's recap. An infantry soldier's job in war is to attack viciously and defend passionately. When people become overly attached to their preconceived notions, they defend these beliefs passionately - even at the expense of good judgment and logic. A good hypothetical case is if we imagine a political argument between yourself and another party. You say X should be a certain way because so and so reason. Your opponent says X should be a different way because so and so reason while presenting hard evidence. In this made up scenario, your response to this was to say that the source for the information was obscure and too biased. However, the evidence presented to you by your opponent was completely factual and supported by multiple independent parties as being verified truth. This entire exchange is a great example of the soldier mindset. The truth is that this mindset is harmful to our intellect and knowledge database because it causes us to dismiss information that directly opposes our own convictions. Soldier mindset harms objectivity and therefore harms credibility. In extreme cases - the soldier mindset is harmful to the life of others.

   Take for example racism. Someone who is vehemently attached to the idea that his/her race is superior to that of another race or races will dismiss the biological evidence that directly contradicts this belief. At the expense of rationality, this person can commit acts of discrimination and even hate crime against another race or races. Soldier mindset can also affect news. News organization may dispose of journalistic code of honor and choose to air certain stories that portray a convenient bias or may even alter factual information.

   The case of Alfred Dreyfus is a famous, historical case that demonstrates the damage that can be done when one is in a blinding soldier mindset. Mr. Dreyfus was a French officer in 1894 that was found by a military court-martial as being guilty of treason. He was sentenced to life in prison. From the get go, the poor mindset was used to justify the systematic targeting of Dreyfus. The French military had gathered intelligence that a soldier in the service was spreading secrets on to the Germans. Under the spell of antisemitism and very faulty 'evidence', the French military pinpointed Dreyfus as being the treasonous soldier. After a shaky trial, his devastating conviction was set. The court had found little evidence that Dreyfus was truly guilty, but was behaving irrationally due to their inability to see past their antisemitism. This move in attacking viciously at the expense of good judgment led to the conviction of an innocent man. Years later, an officer named Colonel Picquart who was very suspicious of the entire ordeal, decided it was time to consider that Dreyfus was really innocent after gathering intelligence that secrets were still being given to Germany. When this information was presented to the French military courts, they dismissed it as asinine. Picquart did not give up though, and after years of court battles and public upheavel, Dreyfus was eventually pardoned in 1906.


   So now I'd like to redirect the focus on a specific character, Colonel Picquart. Picquart is the epitome of the opposite of soldier mindset - 'scout mindset.'

From Google images

Picquart was even antisemitic himself, however he was motivated to find the truth, even if that truth didn't conveniently fit into a narrative that he and everybody else wanted. The person with the scout mindset doesn't care much for what fits into their preconceived notions, but instead cares more for the big picture. They care more for what the reality is, even when that reality is unpleasant. Rather than being rooted in tribalism or defensiveness like the soldier mindset, the scout mindset is emotionally invested in the virtues of curiosity and open-mindedness. Being a scout will allow you to tear down your own emotional attachments to ideas or beliefs, and discover new information that provides you with a better understanding of the world. Considering the times that we live in, there is nothing that we need more than people who are able to lift the veil and see things for what they are - even if that is not convenient. Additionally, those who are scout-minded happen to have better judgment. This is not illogical to conclude either, as it allows for someone to acquire better and more accurate information.

   It goes against human nature to try and be like Spock from Star Trek all the time, but it is surely best for yourself and for others to consider that maybe things aren't the way you believe them to be. Always consider that the information you possess and seek isn't necessarily what's closest to accuracy as possible, but rather what's closest to your own bias as possible. Open your mind and let in the flow of information to permit yourself to get as close to truth as possible.

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Information is credited to Julia Galef.
A nice summary can also be found here.