Someone once said, “Rumor gets half way around the world before truth gets half way down the street.” I don’t think this has ever been more true, at least in my lifetime. Motivated by the sheer desire for power and control, politicians and pundits lie prolifically, knowing that most of their listeners will not bother to check the facts they claim or the logic they utilize. Exaggeration and fear tactics are used to move their followers to view those with opposing views almost like enemies.
It is with this in mind that I’ve started this blog, not with anything grandiose in mind, but with maybe the hope that I can at least stimulate the thought process a bit, maybe examining a bit deeper the logic (or lack of logic) in many of our long-held beliefs. Not to say that I’m not biased. To be human is to be biased. Psychologists have pointed out that we humans don’t make our choices based primarily on logic, but on an emotional basis. That is, we act out of our desires, fears, hopes, dreams and dreads. Logic is used only to subsequently justify the actions and choices we have already made. But I don’t think that is always necessary. People have choices. We can read a bit more, research a little more thoroughly. We can choose to listen to opposing views and not subject ourselves so often to confirmational bias. (Confirmational bias is always choosing to watch, read, and listen only to those views which confirm our biases).
Of course, choosing to think for ourselves might mean our rejection by friends, even family members with whom we formerly associated. But maybe the result will be that instead of following, we can lead for a change. How much we need truly honest leaders! With that end in mind, I submit the following essays. Please feel free to examine my reasoning as well. I can’t tell you the scores of times I’ve gotten things wrong and had to reverse my position. I welcome all critiques, and hope to acknowledge when I have got things wrong!