Understanding People

I'm going to continue with yesterday's topic today. I stopped the previous entry because it was getting too long.

I think the biggest challenge to creating varied characters is a lack of understanding of how people think. We all probably reason in very similar ways, but how is it that we come to such diffent conclusions? I would really like to map out my decision tree on some controversial topic and compare it with someone else's. I know background exposure is a huge factor, but I have trouble understanding why people seem to ignore logical counter arguments to these background assumptions (I'm thinking about the evolution vs creationism bullshit right now). Why doesn't everyone think the way I do? I make perfect sense to me.

Actually, I suspect that everyone does think the way I do for the most part. Excepting the retarded, deranged, schizophrenic, etc. Maybe it's a lot like how we share 96% of our genes with chimps but end up looking completely different