Ever spent time on Nairaland or social media and felt like the same types of people show up in every argument? That’s because they do.
Dunning-Kruger Disciple: The super confident guy who talks like an expert but clearly doesn’t understand what he’s saying.
Then there’s the Belief Perseverance Poster: One who sticks to false info no matter how many facts you show them, and the Contrarian Disorder Commenter: The always-opposite dude who disagrees just to stand out. These kinds of people aren’t just annoying, they confuse others, spread lies, and make real conversations harder. The best thing you can do? Spot them early, don’t fall for the bait, and always speak clearly so others, the quiet ones watching, can see what makes sense.
Want to survive the madness? Learn to spot the patterns, resist emotional traps, and reclaim the narrative with logic, evidence, and clarity. Let’s unpack how. 👇
I’ve scrolled through Nairaland threads more times than I’d like to it. Political discussions. Tribal wars. Religious spats. Economic theories. And somewhere between the 137th post and my waning patience, I began to recognize them, the same characters, over and over. Not names. Types. Archetypes. Personas wearing human faces but driven by algorithms of ego, ignorance, and contrarian fuel.
They weren’t just annoying. They were everywhere.
They weren’t just wrong. They were confidently wrong.
And disturbingly… they were convincing to many.
But let’s rewind. Let’s take them one by one.
Meet the Dunning-Kruger Disciple — The Emperor of Confidence, Clothed in Ignorance
"Do you even know how inflation works?” he asked, smugly, as he explained how printing more money would ‘give Nigeria breathing room’.
They are usually the loudest. The ones who quote WhatsApp forwards like peer-reviewed journals. You’ll find them declaring confidently that the naira should be pegged to the dollar by sheer willpower. They speak with the gravitas of an economist but collapse under the first question on monetary policy tools.
Real-life Example:
In a thread titled “Why Tinubu Should Just Print More Money and Share to Nigerians,” one confidently argued that the Central Bank was “stingy” and that “money is just paper.” Attempts to explain inflation, monetary velocity, or the 2008 Zimbabwean crisis were brushed off as “book talk.”
This is the classic Dunning-Kruger effect, where ignorance of a subject robs you of the very awareness that you lack knowledge. It's not just an internet phenomenon. It's deeply cultural. A society that often equates loudness with intelligence creates fertile ground for this archetype.
Belief Perseverance — When Facts Don’t Matter
"But the video is fake," I typed, linking the fact-check from Reuters. He replied, "I don’t care. I know what I saw."
This is where it gets darker. More insidious. You’re no longer debating opinion, you’re confronting reality denial. These individuals are armed with cognitive armor; no fact, no correction, no contradiction penetrates.
They believe what they believe. And that’s final.
Real-life Example:
During the #EndSARS aftermath, graphic content and manipulated media flooded forums. Even after global news organizations debunked certain claims, a particular set of s persisted: “They are covering it up,” they said. “Even if the video is fake, we know what really happened.”
It’s no longer a question of truth, but what truth feels right.
Psychologists call it belief perseverance. It's the brain's refusal to recalibrate. Once a belief is cemented, especially if it’s emotionally or ideologically loaded, evidence becomes the enemy.
Contrarian Disorder — The Devil’s Advocate That Ate the Devil
“Everyone’s saying Peter Obi is clean. That’s exactly why I don’t trust him.”
At first, they seem refreshing. Independent thinkers. Questioners. But soon you realize, they disagree reflexively, not intellectually. They’re not probing for truth; they’re performing dissent. Contrarianism becomes their identity.
They’re the ones who say Buhari was actually better than Obasanjo. Who argue that COVID-19 was an “economic reset, not a disease.” Or who defend colonialism as “developmental aid.”
Real-life Example:
In a long Nairaland thread on fuel subsidy removal, one maintained that “subsidies never existed,” that the entire pricing system was a Western illusion. When asked for data or citations, he replied: “Do your own research.” That phrase alone is a red flag these days.
This isn’t just trolling. It’s a psychological pattern, sometimes linked to narcissism, sometimes to insecurity. But always disruptive. The Contrarian Disorder isn’t in the DSM, but in online debate culture, it’s as real as any diagnosis.
The Real Cost — Why These Archetypes Matter
This isn’t about winning arguments. It’s about what these personas do to public discourse. Over time, they:
Erode trust in facts and expertise
Polarize communities around false binaries
Reward emotional manipulation over reason
Amplify misinformation that can incite violence or destroy reform
In a place like Nigeria, where politics is life, and misinformation spreads faster than power restoration after NEPA goes out, the cost is real.
What Can You Do? (If Anything)
You can’t out-comment them.
You can’t out-volume them.
You can out-think them.
Tactical Suggestions:
Spot the Archetype Early: Notice their patterns. Does someone dismiss facts outright (belief perseverance)? Are they overly confident without evidence (Dunning-Kruger)? Are they arguing just to argue (contrarian)?
Don’t Feed the Troll: Contrarians thrive on reactions. Starve them by focusing on substantive points.
Use Questions, Not Confrontation: For belief-perseverance types, ask, “What evidence would change your mind?” It forces reflection without escalating.
Stay Humble: Dunning-Kruger devotees hate being challenged directly. Share sources calmly and let them come to conclusions.
Frame your arguments for the silent majority, not the troll.
Refuse emotional baiting. When you smell Contrarian fuel, disengage.
Link to neutral sources when possible, but know that some will never click.
And most importantly: don’t let the noise break your own clarity.
The Fight Is for the Silent Majority
The internet is a war zone of perception. But not everyone is an extremist. Most people are in the silent majority; unsure, overwhelmed, open to persuasion.
When you post, when you argue, when you engage, do it with them in mind.
Because the real enemy isn’t the troll.
It’s the doubt they sow.
And if you don’t speak up, the silent majority hears only one side.
Have you encountered any of these personas on social media?" — especially to provoke thought or spark replies:
Drop your most unforgettable encounter 👇
Was it the confident economist who thinks inflation is a Western myth?
The keyboard warrior who always takes the opposite side, no matter the issue?
Or the one who clings to disproven claims like their life depends on it?
Let’s hear your wildest, most frustrating, or funniest experience.
DR. MELCHISEDEC BANKOLE
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