Let's start with some TruthBombs from St. Augustine of Hippo

The podcast segment where I spoke about this.S

“Believe that you may understand; do not seek to understand that you may believe.”
— Sermon 43
“If you believe what you like in the Gospel, and reject what you don’t like, it is not the Gospel you believe, but yourself.”
— Contra Faustum, Book 32

Reflection
Augustine is saying that when preference takes the lead and Truth is put in the background, the result isn’t understanding, it’s self-confirmation. It's a rejection of Truth, and of reality. Ideologues are famous for this—whether political or religious 

In politics:
We don’t ask, Is this true? We ask, Who said it? If it came from “our side,” it’s believed without scrutiny. If it came from the other side, it’s dismissed before being considered. Facts don’t change minds, tribal alignment does. 

In Catholic life:
Certain doctrines get put on trial. Teachings on sexuality, marriage, judgment, repentance, are treated like suggestions/opinions rather than Truth. Scripture is quoted when it comforts, and tossed away when it confronts. 

In media consumption:
We're devoted to outlets that tell us what we already believe, and we reward them with our trust. Not because they’re necessarily trustworthy , but because they’re emotionally validating. 

This is exactly Augustine’s warning in action. Once preference becomes the standard, belief turns into curation. We don’t receive Truth—we cherry pick it. We choose preference over Truth. And we do so to our own peril, because Truth will not be ignored for long. Reality hits back—and hard.