lofhay

Is it the plight of mankind to be slaves to the desire for certainty? What else can explain why we so quickly and willingly attach ourselves to those leaders who dare to tell us what is truth, what we should believe, what kind of government we should have, and what we need to do to solve our problems? We love authority figures--especially those with charisma. A would-be leader who comes across as an attractive authority can convince us of almost anything they wish. We want to accept their answers without question-- and we do. We are more comfortable having somebody else to figure out the hard answers for us; or maybe we just don’t trust our own judgment, but we can’t seem to bear being uncertain.

There are psychological explanations for this human trait, but this writing will not get into these. Instead it raises questions: Is this trait a good thing? Does it usually result in making life better? worse? Isn’t it risky?

The uncertaintity about who we are, how we got here and where we are going compels us to seek answers. Since the answers to such questions are not readily apparent, we are attracted to those who claim to have had a “revelation” or “inspiration” coming from some place outside of themselves. The problem is: how do we verify someone’s revelatory experience? And, if it is not verifiable, then how do we determine whether they are telling the truth or merely relating a dream or fantasy? And, if we are unable to determine such, then how can we trust anything they say? And what are we risking if we do decide to trust them? Will we follow their lead as long as they take us where we really wanted to go anyway? How reliable is that? How do we avoid another Jim Jones, or David Koresh, or Heaven’ Gate, or Adolph Hitler, or Karl Marx calamity?

If we don’t want to take this kind of risk, what are our alternatives? For myself, I choose to be skeptical about all claims to knowledge or truth which can not be verified by scientific means and which do not meet the test of reason. This is enough for me.

Ourcrazymodern?

Hi-ho! Mankind's plight has always been what it thinks it can explain. We're extremely lazy creatures, unwilling to admit that our buildings are products of sloth. I'd rather lay around & think all day. 'Taint likely. An attractive authority hasn't been ideated. You find one, please tell me. The risk inherent in thinking is not doing enough of it.

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BE JUST AND FEAR NOT

roachboy

what do you take certainty to mean?

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a gramophone its corrugated trumpet silver handle
spinning dog. such faithfulness it hear

it make you sick.

-kamau brathwaite

Ourcrazymodern?

A very fair question, & since lofhay hasn't reappeared, I'll hazard my answer: Certainty is a state of mind unique to each. It has no need to follow. The desire to lead varies. Uncertainty is a LOT more common, but it makes us into sheep. BAAD! ("What are they doing up in the trees?") Fantasy determines a thinking species' actions to a much greater extent than most of us are willing to admit. When an individual comes to the belief that s/he knows anything, they should question it more than once. Following a dreamer is a good idea only if the dreamer's dream is good. If you're not certain that it is, you should run away. (Sounds like a rant, like most surety does.) Sorry...

__________________
BE JUST AND FEAR NOT

John$

At the heart of this issue is the question about self empowerment.

As long an a person does not have confidence in them self they will seek leaders to direct them. The compulsion to give away their personal power is very strong and understandable. We are conditioned from birth to depend on other for our survival. The great shift to self empowerment does not come easily. Until that time, most of us look for a better life by selecting a leader that will make this happen for us.

We are conditioned to lack confidence in our self.

John

Ourcrazymodern?

I think that depends on who taught, John. I think my kids are doing better. We make our own paths. I'd venture that being dependent for a few years is what most of us try to grow away from. Self-empowerment involves deciding what you're certain about. I use qualitfiers all the time for fear of offending, but that's only polite, right?

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BE JUST AND FEAR NOT

John$

The desire for certainty is in itself a lack of confidence in all that we can aspire towards, as I see it.

My two children are now adults. They each travel their chosen path in life. The best a parent can do is provide loving support for their children. Even those words are subject to interpretation.

In my view, self empowerment is doing what you are not certain about. Separating yourself from outcome expectations and trusting in the power of your discernment.

I also use qualifiers when I express my points of view. I respect every person's reality perceptions.

I tend to think we all have a lot to learn, yet I am confident that I will deal with what life brings to me.

John

Ourcrazymodern?

Life brings nothing that wills damning us, unless each other. I think most of the uncertainty we feel springs from not being able to read well enough into what another says to know what they mean. Uncertainly, answers have only one source, nowhere outside.

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BE JUST AND FEAR NOT

Happy recluse

Okay, here's an idea from Immanuel Kant on morality. His conclusion is that lying is always, universally and necessarily wrong. No exceptions. His argument asks us to begin with the premise: "Lying is not wrong." (His argument is a reductio ad absurdum.) This premise is generally assumed to be true, so we decide to adopt it as a rule for living and interacting with each other.

You begin to realize that given the rule we've adopted, you can no longer believe anything anyone tells you because someone might be employing the rule and thus be lying to you. Since you can no longer believe anyone, you discover that no one can lie to you. Concludes Kant, the rule that allows lying makes lying impossible. Thus, the rule that allows lying must be false, so its negation must be true: "Lying is wrong." (We get this from negating "Lying is not wrong" ending up with "Lying is not not wrong," or simply "Lying is wrong."

Now I am absolutely certain that lying is wrong.

Ourcrazymodern?

...eggzackly.

__________________
BE JUST AND FEAR NOT