Fortress of Thoughtitude - No Uncomfortable Truths Allowed

We all have belief systems, maps to reality that inform our perspectives and help us form the bedrock values we have about ourselves, others, and the world at large. This means thoughts on everything from religion and politics to how we interact with friends, and the specific truths about reality we have come to know and adapted to in our everyday lives. But when it comes to taking in new facts, what are the psychological and emotional processes involved in bringing ourselves to a higher or more constructive “place” with this new information? And how does the weaker part of our character seek to stifle new information in its desire to “be right” and remain “comfortable”?