Challenging Beliefs

A multi-linked, multi-tiered posting today, but to help explain the last statement in my QOTD, I find it necessary to prompt you to read this about how we as humans are hard wired to buy into our beliefs despite data to the contrary.

Over the course of the last week or so, I have contemplated some things like "Are the liberals right about war" and something off the wall like "Is Capitalism the purist form of Communism."  I know, I know, those are some pretty outlandish thoughts to ponder.  Possibly even further out than my little messily average American brain can handle. 

While I haven't yet formulated opinions upon those two specific thoughts, I do know that I am becoming a bit of a renaissance man.  As such, I attempt to read, learn, and improve myself and my knowledge of the world, its history, and its potential course on a daily basis.  Attempting to gain the knowledge and historical reference that modern public schools failed to instill (dating back as far as my Baby-boomer generation parents), I am realizing that through a prism of historic perspective, can one understand today's world.  Further, after the linked article depicts (though it is related to personal finance and some politics), our beliefs are exactly that, personal thoughts upon which we either chose to live with or reject.

Humans are inherently fickle.  Our tastes and our minds change, but often, our core beliefs stay exactly the same.  I am coming to realize as I self educate, that only a strong willed individual can question what exactly they believe, and not be scared to be wrong. 

I guess that means that all liberals are inherently one of two types of people; ostriches or tyrants.  Ostriches portrays those who wish to ignore the reality of the situation, sticking to their core beliefs no matter what the actual outcome of the world (the cowards).  Or, they are tyrants that impose their ill-gotten notions of reality upon others at the expense of liberty and justice.  Let me not forget those of the zealous right whom prefer to wield the power of the bloated big government against social issues that they fully believe to be the scourge of everything inherently evil in the world.  Our political leaders are only human themselves and as such, we shouldn't come to expect much more from them than ourselves.  This is especially true when self interest in the form of money and political power is to be gained from ignoring reality and common sense. 

Beliefs are a powerful thing and are often contradictory to reality.  Man isn't made to understand everything he believes but those whom know what they don't know, can often cope with the world in a far easier way.

Sorry to hijack your blog folks, but attempting to understand the philosophic and psychological aspects of thought are completely relevant to our country's course.  I now return you to your regularly scheduled programing.