Well, I'm Just Stumped.

This week I realized that I'm not really sure I know what truth is. It seems very subjective. Like you can believe whatever you want and you could probably find something online to back you up. There are some crazy conspiracy theories out there but sometimes, not always, but sometimes, if I give them a listen I begin to think "wait a second...". It's very confusing for someone like me who is pretty trusting of others. I want to believe that people do things because there is some sort of justification for it, or say things because they really believe it and have good reason to. They may not have solid evidence but something there is valid, right? Or is everything I know a lie? Does the government really communicate with aliens? Was the Greek philosopher Anaximander onto something when he said that human beings were first incubated in fish eggs? 

Okay, so I don't really believe either of those things, but my point still stands. Regardless of what all this makes me sound like, I don't think I'm completely clueless. I feel like I can reason my way to some truth. But that's just it. A lot of things I know are based on textbooks, other people, culture, etc. and nearly everything we read or see has some sort of bias, so how much of it is truly vindicated? 

I'm learning that culture has a huge part in all of this. If we can hardly talk about our personal beliefs  without feeling ashamed and lose a couple of friends along the way, how can we openly talk about fact if it goes against opinions? And how can we openly talk about opinion if it goes against fact? What if our widely accepted fact is wrong? How can we prove that our fact is truly fact when it goes against what has been accepted?

See what I'm saying? It's just one giant, messy circle that never seems to end. 

I think in our day, we should be reasonably skeptical. I'm not saying we should never believe anything ever, I'm just saying we should be aware of our sources, especially when it comes to something remotely political. There's a lot of confusing stuff out there, but there is also a lot of good work being done. Let's learn to find that stuff. I'm not saying you should change your opinion, but opinions can change and before you take a strong, stubborn stance on something, I beg you to do some research first from some qualified sources. As they say, not everything you read on the internet is true. 

Additionally, let's remember availability bias (I learned this in my psych 111 class, and I always feel so astute when I consider it). It really is important and goes right back to culture. When we consider our attitude about something, we probably often refer to what we already know, and some of that goes back to what we've recently heard in a a news source, article, or what have you. But that's another availability bias in of itself. They only report on so many things--there are plenty of other news worthy stories out there that we just don't know of or about that could potentially change what we believe. 

Most importantly, and probably the hardest, we should also listen to the opposing side. I learn the most from them. Not from whatever facts they pull out, but their experiences. People often have personal experience that influence the way they think and sometimes, it's in ways I never would have thought of on my own. 

No matter what or how you choose to believe, let's be mindful and respectful of others. Please.