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Feb. 25th, 2010 02:54 amThis report (via slashdot) frightens me a little. And not because most of the world is stupid; we know they're stupid, this isn't news. But it reminds me that of the millions of invisible things I must be misrepresenting to myself that I don't even realize. I used to ask myself How many things do you have to deny in order to get out of bed in the morning? If it's less than ten or so you're having a good week. If it's less than five you're lying to yourself.
Belief systems and cognitive dissonance is something I am very concerned with. Because, let's face it, your belief system is a catalog of things you're okay denying --- and I think the smart people of the world are more susceptible to some of the more awful effects of this. Your average churchgoer might be fine believing A and B even though If A Therefore Not-B, because they're free to deny that "therefore" there. God preempts logic. But an educated must person have "therefore" as part of their belief system --- so in order to believe A and B when A therefore not-B they have to find a C which makes possible A and B. And a D to justify that C. And so on, walling themselves into an ever-more rigid state of forced harmony.
(I have a friend who I swear only views all books, movies, art, etc, in terms of how well they apply or do not apply to their (rigid, forced) beliefs. Sure we have to look at all things first on the template of ourselves but art should be that one thing which can change beliefs. This friend irritates the hell out of me 'cause what the hell am I doing anything for if it's just going to bounce off of people.)
Most of that report is fluff, though. "Communitarians"? Really? I wonder what that research scientist has to believe in order to get out of bed in the morning.
Belief systems and cognitive dissonance is something I am very concerned with. Because, let's face it, your belief system is a catalog of things you're okay denying --- and I think the smart people of the world are more susceptible to some of the more awful effects of this. Your average churchgoer might be fine believing A and B even though If A Therefore Not-B, because they're free to deny that "therefore" there. God preempts logic. But an educated must person have "therefore" as part of their belief system --- so in order to believe A and B when A therefore not-B they have to find a C which makes possible A and B. And a D to justify that C. And so on, walling themselves into an ever-more rigid state of forced harmony.
(I have a friend who I swear only views all books, movies, art, etc, in terms of how well they apply or do not apply to their (rigid, forced) beliefs. Sure we have to look at all things first on the template of ourselves but art should be that one thing which can change beliefs. This friend irritates the hell out of me 'cause what the hell am I doing anything for if it's just going to bounce off of people.)
Most of that report is fluff, though. "Communitarians"? Really? I wonder what that research scientist has to believe in order to get out of bed in the morning.
