Have you ever been made fun of for being too innocent? Have you ever been the victim of an email scam or signed up to do something questionable because you couldn't resist? Do you tend to believe what other people say out loud? If so, this means that you need to try to be less gullible at all times. Being trusting is a good trait, but you don't want your trust in other people to get you into risky situations. If you want to be less gullible, you need to think more critically and try to question the source of the information you get.
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Part 1 of 3: Think More Critically
Step 1. Don't rush into a decision
If you want to try to be less gullible, you have to make sure you don't rush into big decisions that you'll regret later. If someone says that you need to make a decision right away when in fact you haven't had enough time to study the situation further, whoever that person is (real estate agent or potential employer), you need to be extra careful about the situation. If you give up and make a decision just because you were told to do so, you won't be able to get a better offer or bigger opportunity next time, because chances are the situation wasn't as good as it seemed.
- Keep in mind that people who try to force you to make a quick decision without giving enough time are actually doing it consciously, so that you don't delve into the situation further from other sources. They don't want you to know their trick.
- Don't agree to anything before you're ready just because you're too nice to say no. Make sure that you have studied everything and are absolutely sure about your decision, before you make your decision. Otherwise, you will appear gullible.
Step 2. Be a non-believer
Maybe you don't want to be a total skeptic just to be less gullible, but if you tend to be too innocent, you should try to be more critical when dealing with each situation. This can happen when your sibling tells you about a neighbor, or a sales agent over the phone trying to offer you a discount on your phone credit package. For all of this, you must remain vigilant and ask yourself and those with you about the veracity of the information you are getting.
- Of course, sometimes this vigilance will make certain social situations feel less comfortable than if you just agree and follow what the other person says, but it will make you less easily deceived.
- Whenever you receive any information, ask yourself if the source is reliable, how likely it is that the information is true, and what arguments the source would have to argue against it.
Step 3. Let other people try to earn your trust
You don't have to be completely distrustful just because you want to be less innocent than before, but to avoid being easily deceived, you can't just trust everyone you meet. Get to know these people and build a relationship with each one, whether to approach a girl you work with, or to date a girl you just met. Letting other people try to prove themselves to you and not believing them outright is a powerful trait of critical thinking.
- People who are easily gullible are more likely to trust anyone who provides them with information, especially if this person is older or thought to be wiser. However, don't let someone's age or authority make you immediately believe something that isn't true. Remember, regardless of age, that person has to prove himself to you first.
- If you believe too quickly, other people are very likely to take advantage of you and trick you into doing something that may not necessarily benefit you.
Step 4. Don't jump to conclusions too quickly
If you want to be less gullible, don't jump to conclusions before getting all the facts. Just because your teacher didn't teach for a day yesterday, don't believe that he was fired based on your friend's words. Just because your boss has been super nice to you this week, don't assume that you're about to get promoted. Make sure that you gather all the information you need before making hasty assumptions.
People who are gullible don't bother to understand whether something is true or not. You have to do exactly this if you want to avoid the same pitfalls
Step 5. Avoid anything that sounds too good/good
In fact, if something sounds too good or good to be true, it probably isn't. This could be a dream prince trying to seduce you into falling in love with him, or a friend asking you to invest in a business that is “guaranteed” to make you rich. What's clear is that you should always take your time before entering into a situation that looks like it will eliminate all your problems. If you think you've found the best opportunity in the world, chances are, it's a scam.
- Remember the truth of this statement, “Nothing is free in this world”. If you are offered an extraordinarily good opportunity, perhaps you should do something in return. No one in this world is willing to give a large sum of money, a very expensive gift, or a particular property, without expecting anything in return.
- Ask yourself, how will this opportunity benefit the person offering it? If someone offers you a free gift coupon, what's the return? Is he really doing this out of kindness to you?
Step 6. Know that being innocent has a good side too
While you should try to be less innocent and gullible, you need to know that this naivety isn't all bad. In fact, evolutionary expert Richard Dawkins argues that this innocence and gullibility actually helped us to survive in childhood. It is this innocence that will make you trust your parents when they forbid you from leaving the house because there are scary people outside, or when they forbid you to play in the forest because there are monsters in the forest. This innocence allows you to survive, up to a point.
This doesn't mean that you have to be innocent all the time, but you also don't have to feel frustrated with your innocence. It is very likely that innocence has brought you unconscious benefits
Step 7. Don't think that any of the events or information is proof of the complete truth
People who are gullible tend to believe that the events or information they hear are evidence of the same principle completely/continuously. Don't be too quick to generalize just because of one story. Sharpen your skills in critical thinking by studying as many details as possible from the situation before you decide. While the stories you hear can help provide a more complete understanding of a particular situation and provide context for statistics and major issues, don't let stories be your only source of information.
For example, if your friend says, “Don't buy a Volvo. My cousin has a Volvo, and it always breaks down. Just buy a Jetta,” this may be true of one person's experience with Volvo cars, but it's not true of all Volvo cars out there
Part 2 of 3: Digging For More Information
Step 1. Consider the credibility of the information source
Trying to dig up as much information as possible about a particular situation can help you become less gullible. One way to do this is to consider the credibility of the source of the information. Whether it's a newspaper headline or a piece of gossip that pops up in the middle of a chat, ask yourself if this source is known to be trusted, or if it has been proven to have provided misleading information before. Don't believe everything you hear or read on the internet, because you will be one of those people who will be fooled into believing news from sources that are clearly misinformed.
- If you read certain news on the internet, check the source. Read the information about the source (the online journal or magazine) and observe how long it has been operating, who the contributors are and whether the data source is reliable or trustworthy.
- Observe whether the source is an expert in the field. If your cousin is trying to suggest the right type and brand of car for you to buy and he doesn't even have a driver's license himself, then he probably doesn't understand the area he's suggesting at all.
Step 2. Look for the evidence
Before believing anything or making a decision, make sure that you have had enough time to look for supporting evidence. Don't believe something just because your friend says it's true, but take the time to learn it from trusted sources on the internet, at the nearest library, or by asking experts in the field, so you can determine whether it's true or not. no. A gullible person is usually lazy, because he thinks that it is better and easier to just believe what he hears, than to bother trying to investigate his own situation.
- If you are looking for the truth about something of an academic nature, make sure that you read a journal that has received evidence from co-authors, so you can be sure that this data source has proven to be of good credibility. You certainly don't want to get academic information from someone's personal blog, unless this person is a well-known expert in that academic field.
- Libraries do not receive the respect they should be a source of information today. If you want to use it but are embarrassed, just ask the librarian on duty how you can get the information you are looking for.
Step 3. Admit that there are things you don't know
One way to become less gullible is to admit that you, like everyone else in the world, still have a lot to learn. If you are all-knowing about everything and take for granted what you hear or read, you will go on living without realizing that you need to improve. Instead, just admit that you don't know much about politics, for example, and you'll find that your cousin's argument about the president isn't really that convincing anymore.
- Admitting that there are things you don't know is humility. This is the first step towards becoming a more critical thinker and understanding that the argument is not as simple as it seems, or is not as simple as you think.
- While you should admit to yourself that there are things you don't know, you don't have to tell everyone. For example, if you're buying a car, don't say to the sales agent, "I don't know anything about cars…", so that other people don't take advantage of your ignorance.
Step 4. Read more
People looking for information are always reading and learning more. He does not seek information from only one source, and he does not read books from only one author. He's always pursuing new knowledge, whether it's by reading Jonathan Franzen's latest novel or a book about the scientific discussion of a country, because he knows that there are so many things he doesn't know, and he always wants to discover them.
- Set aside a fair amount of time each day, or at least weekly, to read. You can read systematically and set goals to understand everything about geology or contemporary poetry, or you can read whatever interests you each week. What's important is that you develop a thirst for knowledge and keep asking questions about whatever you come across.
- If other people know that you read a lot and know a lot, they are less likely to try to trick or frame you.
Step 5. Don't be afraid to ask questions
If you want to be less gullible, one of the things you can do is ask as many questions as you need to really understand the situation. Whether you're buying a car or a house, or your older sister is teaching you how to dye your hair, it's important that you gather as much information as possible before making a decision or agreeing to something. Many people are afraid to ask questions because they don't want to admit they don't know, which is the best way to be less gullible and overly trusting.
- After all, if you are a person who has been known to ask questions, others will be reluctant to deceive or deceive you.
- If you're in class, asking too many questions may annoy your teacher a bit. Just ask what you really need to know right away and go to your teacher for further questions after class.
Step 6. Seek other opinions, from the second and third persons
If you really want to think critically and understand the whole situation, don't seek information or opinions from just one source. Sure, your friends or cousins will be great at teaching you the best ways to make apple cakes or mow the lawn, but you're better off asking someone else too or learning about it online. If you only hear a "fact" from one person, you are more likely to be deceived than if you seek the opinion of another person.
The same applies to the news you read. Try not to read news about a topic from only one source, as this will bias your thinking. Read the same story from at least two or three sources, so you don't fall into the trap of believing something that isn't entirely true
Part 3 of 3: Avoiding Tricks
Step 1. Don't be afraid to say no
People who are easily gullible are often forced into certain situations because they are unable to say no. They let others take advantage of their doubts, because they don't have the heart to hurt other people's feelings, and because they don't want to believe that other people might deceive or harm them. However, if something feels off, for example, if you think a guy friend is trying to trick you by inviting you to a party, make sure you decline the invitation. It is better to be wary than to be deceived.
- Of course, you don't want to be overly scared and think that every time someone talks to you, they will try to deceive you. However, if you've been gullible all along, you'd better be careful than sorry later.
- If someone is trying to sell you something, you need to be even more careful before saying yes. Ask yourself if you really want the product, and if it's a good offer, or if you're just afraid to say no because you feel sorry for the person.
Step 2. Don't listen to gossip or rumours
If you want to be less gullible, stop believing gossip or rumors, no matter what the topic (whether Kim Kardashian or the most popular girl in school). Unless the source is very reliable, gossip or rumors usually arise from jealousy, boredom or people who are just plain mean, and usually gossip or rumors have no truth in them. Get into the habit of thinking about all the reasons why the gossip you hear isn't true, don't believe it outright.
- Think about it: if someone spreads rumors about you, you don't want everyone to believe it right away, do you? Try to be less gullible and assume that most gossip is just gossip and nothing.
- If you are notorious for believing what you hear, other people may want to lie to you with completely untrue gossip, to tease you.
Step 3. Be skeptical of people who have lied to you, whoever they are
Whether he's your brother, an annoying friend, or a careless neighbor, if he's cheated on you before, you need to be very vigilant before receiving any further “information” from him. Even if he doesn't mean anything bad and is just trying to be funny, you still have to be careful that this person might prank you again the next time. If he really likes pranking you, he probably will in front of other people later, then you should be extra careful if your brother rounds up five of his friends and tries to say something to you with a suspicious smile.
- Remember that rebuilding trust takes time. If someone has cheated on you before, don't trust them right back.
- If someone is clearly trying to convince you of something weird, just put on a goofy face and say, “Hahaha, that's so funny,” to show that you won't be fooled again this time.
Step 4. Avoid email scams
In general, anyone who emails you asking for money saying that he or she is a distant relative or that you just need to click to claim a ten-million-dollar raffle prize is actually hoping that you fall into his trap. If you have an email like this in your inbox, delete it immediately and don't believe it. There are people who will try to tell their sad story when asking for your money, but don't be so innocent and believe in these email scams.
If you get an email about prize money from a contest you never actually entered, just delete the email right away. Everyone would be thrilled when large sums of money suddenly turned out to be his, but actually this kind of luck was rare
Step 5. Learn to cut ties with sales agents
One of the other ways that innocent people are deceived is that they are caught in constant conversation with sales agents, either in person in public places or over the phone. You should learn to be polite but firm, thank the seller and say you're not interested in the offer, and don't sign up for any e-mail service or provide personal data (e.g. email address or cell phone number). Act like you have somewhere to go and you don't have time to listen to the offers, and give the impression that you're not someone who is easily gullible.
Even if the sales agent is not directly trying to deceive or deceive you, you are more likely to be deceived if you are too open to listening and allow him to continue to persuade you about a product you don't want to buy
Step 6. Learn to read other people's expressions
Paying attention to a person's facial expressions and body language will help you identify if he or she is trying to trick you. If he smiles secretly, looks away, or even gets too excited when he says something to you, this means he may be lying to you. If he seems serious, but when he looks away he tries not to laugh, you may be being duped. If he says something without looking you in the eye, he may not be telling the truth.
- Another way you can tell if someone is lying is to listen to the tone of conviction or confidence in their voice. While great cheaters do have a very convincing ability at this point, inexperienced cheaters will mumble a lot or stutter when they say something that is clearly a lie.
- Observe the person's reaction when you ask. If he is lying, it is very likely that he will appear scared and hesitant or confused.
Step 7. Be on the lookout for special occasions, for example April 1st
Oh, it's April Fool's. This is the worst day for all innocent and gullible people. When you wake up on this sunny day, the best option is to assume that everyone will try to trick or lie or prank you with various silliness. Listen to whatever your friends, siblings, even teachers have to say, think carefully, and make sure that you don't believe anything outright today. While it's likely that most people aren't trying to prank you, you certainly don't want anyone screaming, "April Fools!" and embarrass you for being deceived by silly pranks.
- Be especially careful when reading today's news. Many newspapers like to feature fake news on April 1st, so don't be the one to post this fake news on Facebook or email it to friends without realizing that they are being scammed.
- On this day, practice pranking other people who have been making fun of you as an innocent and gullible person!
