What if you knew?

What drives people to behave in ways that harm others and the environment, and could it change if they truly understood the facts?

Picture yourself on a quiet 27°C afternoon, enjoying an iced coffee and a good book at your favourite café. The world feels calm—until a truck roars past, belching thick, black smoke into the air. The noise is deafening, the fumes choking. In an instant, serenity is shattered. With your ears and lungs now damaged, hopefully only temporarily, you snap back into your realm. Your inner monologue wonders: What drives someone to behave like this?

The above might as well be a looped gif with how frequently this occurs when exploring our lil downtown area

Willful ignorance or stubborn defiance?

It's easy to dismiss these kinds of actions as simple ignorance—maybe the person driving that truck doesn't know the impact of their pollution (and disrupting of conversations). But what if they do? We live in a time where information is readily available, and most people have at least heard about climate change. So why do some people act like the problem doesn't exist, or worse, actively contribute to it?

Psychologists call this phenomenon willful ignorance. It's when people choose to ignore facts that conflict with their beliefs or lifestyles because accepting those facts would require them to change their behaviour. Change is hard. It's uncomfortable. So, instead of acknowledging inconvenient truths, some people dig their heels in deeper (something I personally need to work on as well). They block out evidence and focus on narratives that reinforce their choices, even when those choices harm others.

For the truck driver rolling coal—the practice of modifying trucks to release large clouds of black smoke (which is illegal in the United States)—is the goal really about expressing doubt in climate change, or is it a way of asserting control? When we're told we need to change for the greater good, there's often a reactionary pushback, especially in a culture where individualism and freedom are highly valued. Rolling coal isn't just about emissions—it's a statement. But what's the statement?

The psychology of defiance

Sometimes, defiance isn't about the issue at hand but rather a rejection of feeling controlled. Climate change, for instance, is not just a scientific debate; it's tied to politics, values, and identity. To some, it feels like an attack on their personal freedom. If society, experts, or even the government tell them what to do—drive less, pollute less, consume less—it can provoke an emotional reaction. This response has less to do with a disagreement on the facts and more with the discomfort of being told they're wrong.

We see this in other areas of life too—anti-vaccination movements or even the simple resistance to wearing masks during a pandemic¹. The facts are clear, but when they challenge our sense of identity or our autonomy, facts take a backseat to emotion. It's easier to reject the message than accept the need to change.

What if you knew?

So, what if the truck driver knew for a fact that climate change was real and that they were contributing to it? Would it matter? For some, it might. For others, knowing might not change a thing. Beliefs and behaviours are often shaped by far more than facts—they're shaped by identity, community, and emotional investment in being "right".

It's not just ignorance that drives harmful behaviour; it's a sense of power, belonging, and sometimes, rebellion. The truck driver rolling coal might be making a statement about more than just the environment—they might be communicating frustration, anger, or a rejection of societal pressures. Changing their behaviour would mean giving up more than just a truck modification—it would mean reevaluating their identity.

Can facts ever change behaviour?

The challenge is that facts alone often aren't enough to change minds. People need to feel understood, not attacked. Telling someone they're wrong without addressing the emotions behind their actions only solidifies their resistance. If we want to change behaviours—whether it's about pollution, public health, or any societal issue—we need to address the emotional and psychological roots of those behaviours.

This requires empathy. It's tempting to label someone as "ignorant" or an "asshole" for their behaviour, but that rarely leads to productive change. Instead, we have to ask: What's driving this? What's the underlying fear or frustration? How can we engage with people in a way that feels less like a lecture and more like a conversation?

Change, after all, comes not just from understanding facts but from feeling a part of something bigger. If we can foster a sense of collective responsibility—where people feel like their actions matter in a positive way—maybe we can get somewhere. The key is shifting the narrative from "you're wrong" to "we can do better together."

¹ Here's some interesting statistics about COVID-19 vaccine side effects. Form your own opinions, preferably based on facts, and absolutely question what is going into your body. Don't hurt others, though (looking at you, intentional coughers towards anyone wearing a mask).