Occasionally, we ask the opinion of others just to confirm what we already know. We seek confirmation, and we’re prepared to reject alternate views.

Do you like this shirt? Does this painting composition work? Should I say yes to this opportunity?

Sometimes we just need to hear someone agreeing with us. Or to experience the internal resistance when someone disagrees.

These brief interactions are like a performance — the last bit of settling before we fully commit to what we already believe. They’re a trial run to see how the external world responds to our internal positions.

A little testing helps us to know.