Something we're all guilty of to a much greater extent than we would like to admit is filtering out information that contradicts our beliefs. A Republican is far more likely to filter out any suggestion that Rebublican policies and actions are responsible for the mortgage crisis, and a Democrat is far more likely to filter out any suggestions of Democrat culpability. Something else we do is to accept without skepticism messages that reinforce our point of view. Example: Anybody ever watch a Michael Moore documentary? Am I the only one that sees them as extremely one-sided? And this guy has actually received awards and standing ovations!It's helpful to me to seek a more balanced explanation of any public issue that I'm concerned about. In the case of the subprime mortgage crisis, the explanation in the Wikipedia appears to be a balanced and comprehenisve summary. For example, it does mention the Community Reinvestment Act, and it summarizes the positions of detractors and supporters. This is very different from the one-sided comments of politicians about the causes of the crisis.