Many of our beliefs spring from what we think we know. But how do we know that what we know is a fact? Knowing or what we know is often influenced by our biases, our feelings, and acculturation. It is relative and may represent only an aspect of reality, a part of a whole.
We are familiar with the story of the elephant and the four blind men. Each man perceived only a part of the elephant and drew a conclusion about the elephant based on limited information. We are like blind men, perceiving a circumscribed aspect of reality and making our own judgments. Many beliefs we grow up with are cultural impositions, such as religious beliefs, mores, and traditions. They formed our belief system, and we consider them a fact of life. Many of which we don’t question and treat as if they are self-evident truths. We confuse our beliefs with knowledge or what is real, the thing in itself. Often, they diverge or even go in opposite directions. We hold our beliefs close to our hearts with a sense of finality. This tendency cuts across cultures, for I have witnessed it in my travels.
Recently, I met a European who got sick with Covid and who continues to suffer from its long-lasting ill effects. Despite her illness, she believes that Covid vaccines are bad for you. That the widely accepted science about COVID and its cures is based on misinformation, a conspiracy. Her political views or ideas of government are replete with conspiratorial perspectives. If she could vote, she would vote for Trump. She has many grievances against democratic governments and seems to forget that the very freedom she enjoys results from the same system she finds many faults against. If I didn’t tell you she is European, you would think she is a MAGA devotee. She holds many of these beliefs with absolute certainty. There is no arguing about them. No room for an alternate reality. A common streak I find with people who hold similar views.
“The funny thing is when we espouse a particular belief based on narratives that align with our hopes and dreams, we cling to it and refuse to consider other ideas. There is an element of fanaticism to this that abhors a critical thinking process that may result in a dissonant state of mind.”
Her stance on politics and Covid science sounds so familiar. It’s echoed by some of my American friends who bought many of these conspiracy theories. The odd thing is they are Republicans and Trump admirers. I suspect the connection lies in how some Republican politicians and media influencers, particularly Trump, have promoted conspiracy theories. They peddle political narratives that are self-serving. They continue to feed people’s hopes and aspirations with promises that may not be grounded in reality or difficult to deliver. The rise of social media has contributed to the convolution of the public mind. A daily dose of this misinformation can easily bend even the brightest mind to buy into a hidden agenda without the least suspicion.
The funny thing is when we espouse a particular belief based on narratives that align with our hopes and dreams, we cling to it and refuse to consider other ideas. There is an element of fanaticism to this that abhors a critical thinking process that may result in a dissonant state of mind. Instead, it seeks justifications and confirmations without discrimination between reality and delusion. It requires self-awareness to exercise critical thinking and taxes our minds to process conflicting ideas to inform our judgment. This is part of being rational, understanding that some of our beliefs may or may not have bases in reality and that what we consider facts or objective reality supports knowledge, albeit subjective.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR Dr. Fernando B. Perfas is an addiction specialist who has written several books and articles on the subject. He currently provides training and consulting services to various government and non-government drug treatment agencies regarding drug treatment and prevention approaches. He can be reached at fbperfas@gmail.com.
