Excellent assemblage of video excerpts to explain and illustrate this important psychological mechanism which functions to prevent us from acknowledging, or even considering, evidence that conflicts with society's authority figures. This is a sample of the rich source of material awaiting those who subscribe to Boiling Frogs.
The theory of cognitive dissonance was first posited by American social psychologist Leon Festinger in 1957 to explain the discomfort and mental stress that we feel when our beliefs, ideals or values don’t match up to reality. Festinger’s theory states that when people are in a state of dissonance, that is, when their beliefs or values don’t match up with their behavior or experiences, they will adjust those beliefs or values, or even adjust their perception of reality, in order to achieve consonance. Furthermore, Festinger showed that people will actively avoid situations or information that might challenge those beliefs and values in order to avoid dissonance.