Note: This post discusses the concept of Naive Realism with specific references to youth social movements and advocacy for social justice, such as through the 1960s youth movement. Please note that my research is by no means substantive on this topic, so feel free to let me know if I have missed out or misrepresented something significantly.
Naive realism is a psychological concept that refers to the tendency of individuals to believe that their perceptions of the world are objective and that others who disagree are misinformed, irrational, or biased. This perspective stems from the assumption that one's own interpretation of reality is accurate, and that anyone who has a different perspective must be wrong, not because they have different information or experiences, but because they are not "seeing things correctly.
This concept plays a significant role in social movements and debates. People engaged in these causes often believe their perspective is the "right" one and struggle to understand why others don't share their views. Naive realism can intensify conflicts because it reinforces the belief that those who disagree are fundamentally flawed in their understanding, rather than simply holding a different point of view.
While Naive Realism helps explain the psychological underpinnings of why people become deeply invested in their causes, it alone doesn't fully account for the rise of youth activism in periods like the 1960s. The widespread social movements of that era, driven largely by young people, were shaped by a combination of factors. Economic prosperity after World War II, greater access to education, and the rise of mass media all played crucial roles in giving the youth a platform to challenge existing power structures. Living in a time of rapid societal change, young people were especially receptive to emerging political and social ideologies that demanded justice, equality, and freedom.
In this context, the youth’s attraction to social justice causes isn’t just about believing their perspective is inherently right, as it’s also about their openness to change, idealism, and willingness to challenge deep-rooted inequalities. Thus, a combination of such factors and components enabled young people to become key players in reshaping societal norms during this period of time.
In a broader context, the concept of naive realism also helps explain some of the challenges faced by Effective Altruism. Just as youth movements are often driven by a strong belief in their cause, EA advocates may encounter resistance from those who firmly believe their approach or cause is the "right" one. Naive realism can make it difficult to engage with diverse perspectives, especially when people are deeply invested in their own understanding of what constitutes the most effective way to bring about change. By recognizing this bias, EA can foster more productive discussions and encourage a more collaborative approach to solving global challenges.
