Politics and Religion

Because of the confirmation bias and cognitive dissonance, humans usually see what they want to see and hear what they want to hear. They block out the sense inputs that make them uncomfortable and that do not fit in their scheme of perception and thinking. Politics and Religion are the cesspools where these modes of “thinking” prevail and breed. In Science, because of the inherent requirements of verification and falsifiability, the fallacious modes of thinking are kept to a minimum and often looked at with askance.
>
> There is no such thing as Logic and Rationality in Politics and Religion. Rather, a person’s views of these arenas usually reflect his values and evolutionary development as real, secure, bona fide human, or as an undeveloped monkey deep down.
> 

  > It takes strong AND intelligent humans to be aware of both confirmation bias and cognitive dissonance. Many intelligent humans believe in Nonsense just because the Nonsense is comfortable and useful. I have a strong disdain for the utilitarian function of Religion. To me, Facts, Logic, and thus Truth are all paramount and help us become who we really are. Superstitious humans are half-baked and incomplete.

It all depends on values, attitudes, and perspectives. If the discussions are aimed at proving one’s views are superior to others’, then yes, there should not be any discussions in the first place. However, if the aim is to search for “Truths”, reflecting a relentless drive to know, to get to the bones and marrows of the issues involved, then the discussions can be useful. If a “friendship” cannot survive the differences in opinions, then that friendship was founded on floundering grounds and is not worth its name. 

Some humans go through life asking and struggling with fundamental questions. Others just muddle through life, avoid harsh and hard realities, eventually get old, get sick, and die. The choice is up to us. Do whatever that suits our make-up, that makes us happy, that makes us truly proud of ourselves. 

 While I am aware that fools rush in where angels fear to tread, I am a guy who likes acting like a fool, who skates on thin ice, dances on the edge of the abyss, and constantly tests myself and others. You don’t know what you and others are made of unless and until you and others are tested. And I’ve got to say that many others and I have failed the tests. I only admire those who are bigger, braver, and better than me. And I’ve got to say one more thing for the record: I have learned from Snow Clouds that one must practice Noblesse Oblige. There have been times I have failed to do that and I have been invariably ashamed of myself afterwards, but I have managed to crawl back on the right path and to be the man I know I can be. We can fool others, but we cannot fool ourselves unless we are really pathological. Most humans are only humans in name. In essence they are devious, despicable monkeys that deserve to be exterminated like vermin that they are. that and I have been invariably ashamed of myself afterwards, but I have managed to crawl back on the right path and to be the man I know I can be. We can fool others, but we cannot fool ourselves unless we are really pathological. Most humans are only humans in name. In essence they are devious, despicable monkeys that deserve to be exterminated like vermin that they are.