I want it to be understood that what I post on this site is what I believe. Like anyone, I think that I have chosen the right or correct thing to believe. People don’t often believe something they think to be incorrect or wrong. That wouldn’t make any sense. Therefore, since I think that my beliefs are right, and since no doubt there may be others with different beliefs, I, by definition, think that those with differing beliefs are wrong or incorrect. This is human nature. If I thought that someone else’s beliefs were better than mine, I would adopt them as my own. Then of course, those who moments before shared my previous belief would now be considered by me to be wrong. This, I think, is the fluidity of belief.
Fluidity is that which keeps your certainty in your own beliefs being the correct beliefs, the best beliefs, from leading to conceit and arrogance. It is natural to think your belief is the best because you think it. But to not keep an open mind that allows even the possibility that there are better beliefs out there is very dangerous. Without openness there is no fluidity of belief. And without fluidity of belief there is no growth; there is only stagnation.
That may seem a lot to say to state what is inherently obvious. But I say this in the effort to examine belief itself. In the context in which I write, the word belief could easily be replaced with "idea" or "feeling". People take their own thought, feelings, and beliefs for granted far too often without taking the time to examine the nature of what they’re experiencing. A brief moment of contemplation, as I’ve just written it, can at least give you a glimpse into the nature of your own belief, its rigidity or fluidity, its strength or weakness.
That having been said, I want to make very clear that I want to imply no disrespect to anyone that believes differently from me. I don’t think anyone (for the most part) is stupid or evil for believing different than me, just mistaken. But if you disagree with me, then you no doubt feel the same. Therefore, if we chose to, we must each make an effort to see the merits, if any, in the others belief. If we find some, we can incorporate them into our own beliefs. If we can successfully argue the absence of merit, then we may be able to convince the other to adopt at least part of our own belief. That’s what this site is all about!
Thank you for reading.
Fluidity is that which keeps your certainty in your own beliefs being the correct beliefs, the best beliefs, from leading to conceit and arrogance. It is natural to think your belief is the best because you think it. But to not keep an open mind that allows even the possibility that there are better beliefs out there is very dangerous. Without openness there is no fluidity of belief. And without fluidity of belief there is no growth; there is only stagnation.
That may seem a lot to say to state what is inherently obvious. But I say this in the effort to examine belief itself. In the context in which I write, the word belief could easily be replaced with "idea" or "feeling". People take their own thought, feelings, and beliefs for granted far too often without taking the time to examine the nature of what they’re experiencing. A brief moment of contemplation, as I’ve just written it, can at least give you a glimpse into the nature of your own belief, its rigidity or fluidity, its strength or weakness.
That having been said, I want to make very clear that I want to imply no disrespect to anyone that believes differently from me. I don’t think anyone (for the most part) is stupid or evil for believing different than me, just mistaken. But if you disagree with me, then you no doubt feel the same. Therefore, if we chose to, we must each make an effort to see the merits, if any, in the others belief. If we find some, we can incorporate them into our own beliefs. If we can successfully argue the absence of merit, then we may be able to convince the other to adopt at least part of our own belief. That’s what this site is all about!
Thank you for reading.
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