We’ve all been there. You’re scrolling through social media, minding your business, when suddenly you see it: A former colleague—someone you once respected for their intelligence, critical thinking, and rationality—has posted something blatantly false, misleading, or just flat-out ridiculous.

Maybe it’s a conspiracy theory. Maybe it’s a misrepresented statistic. Maybe it’s a political hot take so detached from reality that you actually check their profile twice to make sure it’s really them. Whatever it is, the disappointment hits hard.

The Cognitive Dissonance of “How Could They Believe That?”

This isn’t just about disagreement. You can respect someone’s differing opinions while still recognizing their reasoning. But when someone you once saw as sharp starts sharing demonstrably false claims, it feels like a betrayal of the intellect you thought they had.

• Did they never fact-check? A quick Google search would debunk this.
• Are they just parroting talking points? Where’s the independent thought?
• Were they always like this, and I just didn’t notice?

It makes you question your own judgment. Did you overestimate them? Or has something changed—perhaps the influence of echo chambers, algorithmic radicalization, or just the slow erosion of media literacy?

The Social Media Effect: Smart People, Dumb Posts

Social media rewards engagement, not accuracy. Nuance gets drowned out by outrage, and even otherwise intelligent people fall for emotionally charged misinformation. Some possible explanations:

1. Tribalism – People adopt beliefs to fit in with their chosen group, even if those beliefs contradict facts.
2. Confirmation Bias – Once someone leans a certain way, they’re more likely to accept anything that supports their view, no matter how flimsy.
3. The Dunning-Kruger Effect – The less someone knows about a topic, the more confident they may be in spreading misinformation about it.

Do You Say Something? Or Just Let It Go?

This is the real dilemma. Calling them out might lead to an argument, defensiveness, or even damage the professional relationship. But staying silent feels like allowing falsehoods to spread unchecked.

If you do engage, some ground rules:

• Be polite but firm. “I think there might be some misinformation here—here’s a source that explains why.”
• Avoid personal attacks. Focus on the claim, not their intelligence.
• Know when to walk away. Some people aren’t interested in truth, only validation.

The Sad Reality: People Are Complicated

Intelligence isn’t a shield against misinformation. Smart people can believe dumb things. Critical thinkers can have blind spots. The person you worked with on logical, data-driven projects might still fall for emotionally manipulative content.

It’s disappointing, but it’s also a reminder: None of us are immune. The best we can do is stay vigilant, question our own biases, and hope that the people we respect will eventually do the same.

Have you ever been let down by a colleague’s social media post? How did you handle it? Let me know in the comments.

Would you add anything to this? Maybe a personal anecdote or a different angle? Let me know how you’d tweak it!