The Challenges (and Importance) of Challenging Believed Narratives
(just a short post on something that's been on my mind lately...)
From what I've learned (as a human living on planet Earth) in my relatively short-time here, is that people prefer narratives that “confirm their BIASES“ and “allow them to live relatively COMFORTABLE lives. Almost any DATA that intrudes on their world-views - in almost ANY area of life - is often met with HOSTILE reactions and emotions. People DO NOT LIKE for their narratives and belief-systems to be challenged by cold hard facts, by evidence, by logic, or by critical analysis - and they DO NOT react nicely to your disturbing/intruding on their world-views and perceptions of reality. People seem to want to avoid “cognitive dissonance” like the PLAGUE!
Challenge an Israeli Zionist's narratives -> and you quickly find out how emotionally insecure Israeli society and culture really is.
Challenge a Fundamental Christian Nationalist's narratives -> and you find out how quickly they've made you into an 'enemy combatant' and 'enemy of God'.
Challenge a Conspiracy Theorist's favorite conspiracies -> and you find out that they will go to the ends of the earth to defend their 'pet theories/explanations' (often to their last, dying breaths).
Challenge a Pseudoscience believer's core beliefs -> and you find out how soon they've made you into an 'enemy of truth' and accuse you of 'having a not-open-enough-mind' and 'rigid thinking'.
Challenge a Homo-Sapien's 'political or social' ideologies -> and you find out how quickly things devolve into 'us vs. them' logic and 'in-group vs. out-group' dynamics.
Challenge Cult-like Populism -> and you find out that you've been made into an 'enemy of the people', and 'a social pariah'.
Challenge bigotry and intolerance -> and you find out that you've been cast to the edges and margins of human societies as 'woke' or 'deplorable' bleeding-hearts.
(...this list goes on quite a bit longer, but you get the gist...)
Are people beginning to make the CONNECTIONS between narratives, belief-systems, and 'human emotions' and psychology?
That's WHY narratives are SO IMPORTANT to get right!
That's WHY 'deep-thinking, analysis, and reflection' are REQUIRED instead of the usual approaches used (such as 'heuristic guesses', 'shotgun analyses', 'believing whatever is popular', 'relying on common-sense explanations' and 'not wanting to rock-the-boat').
That's WHY TPTB (The Powers That Be) spend TRILLIONS (globally) on MANAGING people's narratives and belief-systems.
So, WAKE THE FUCK UP everyone! And START DOING the HARD WORK that is necessary! Yes, it is THAT IMPORTANT! The fate of the world depends on YOU for this - FIGURATIVELY and LITERALLY!
TAKE BACK YOUR POWER and YOUR AGENCY from 'The Masters of the Universe' that want you to serve THEM for eternity.
Say, "NO MORE"!
GET OUT OF your comfort zones!
CHALLENGE Authority!
CHALLENGE 'The Establishment'!
EXAMINE your belief systems!
QUESTION the narratives that YOU believe!
And YES, question and be skeptical of your OWN world-views - EVEN IF that creates the kind of cognitive-dissonance that shakes you deep into your bones.
Thanks Chang for highlighting the philosophers frustration. Three quotes by Dartwill Aquila might be of some help.
”They love the truth as long as it’s about someone else and doesn’t disturb their beliefs.”
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”All theory and no practice is a bird that can’t fly.
All practice and no theory is a bird that can’t navigate.”
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”People change through doing. That’s practice.
Theory is a compass to the correct tasks.
All talk and no action reflects the ’intelligence’ of a dictionary.”
#1 on this list for me is “be skeptical of your own worldview.” It’s hard for many—myself included—to consistently judge the ethical valence of actions and outcomes without the halo/horns effect of the actor. “My side can do no wrong” might be right most of the time (at least for my side lol) but it’s a cognitive shortcut fraught with peril.