Many factors affect how and why we make decisions in life, how we behave, and how we treat other people. Genetic predispositions, quirks, and personalities aside, our beliefs are what compels us to either change or remain the same. Beliefs are the lens through which we see the world. The judgments we make, tacitly or otherwise, are shaped by them. Although many of us encounter and sometimes adopt new beliefs, over time, we don’t normally put much of thought into how and why they are constructed. As they become innate and calcified over time, their rationale tends to become implicit.
On the other hand, whenever we do take the time to reconsider our beliefs, it’s nearly always in defense of them, especially when they are challenged. Then again, the same is true when we encounter an expression that touts the same belief as ours. How many times have we watched the evening news or a talk show, and the anchor, interviewee, or celebrity guest replies with a remark that truly resonates with our opinions, and we audibly respond with “Damn right!” If we’re in the audience, we’ll also quickly scan the people nearby to try and ascertain if they’re as enthusiastically in agreement as we are. But if there’s someone obviously expressing disagreement, we might think “we should keep an eye on him.” These days, it’s difficult to imagine people coming together in a peaceful setting to discuss their differences. It’s far too easy for us to blithely (or furiously) post our contempt or support online, far away from any sense of repercussion or redress. Well, I might be wrong in thinking that it won’t get better—in fact, I hope I’m wrong.