Michael Mitchell: Archive

I think this problem is much worse and much more prevalent than it appears.

What if someone really doesn't have an "opinion"? What if they're so terrified of the consequences of being wrong, they just stop evaluating everything? What could lead someone to accept a state of mind without personal identity?

It wouldn't look like bullshit or deception, like someone who pretends to be something they're not depending on present company or whoever is watching them. That's impossible, especially in the age of social media. It would look like an average of everything someone knows can be evaluated, maybe skewed towards people (judges) they're closest to.

And it's a problem because belief simply doesn't work this way. We think it does, that it's safer for everyone to agree with each other even if we're wrong, but what's more important? That our minds match each others' or reality? Agreement or truth?

What if it's all bullshit? What if everyone is faking their beliefs, attempting in vain, not to win some cultural battle or whatever, but to reach agreement regardless of what's true or false and we just can't seem to sync all the nonsense because it's all fucking nonsense? What's the purpose in expressing an opinion you don't actually believe in? And if you look at it this way, isn't not expressing your opinion better than contributing to the philosophical chaos, especially if you're not sure if you're right or wrong?

I think very few people, regardless of their bravery or confidence in their own minds, are honestly living a life 100% consistent with their personal beliefs, because we've never lived in a society that allows for them.

In other words, I disagree. 🙃