Critical thinking and self reflection...

Short rant...

I wish there were some required class in our school system that teaches people to really reflect upon themselves, analyze themselves, or gives them tools to do so. I'm sure it would never work out, as it really feels like political extremists (both sides of the coin, mind you) would not have you critically thinking about your beliefs and why you believe them. There are times where it feels like the middle ages where some in the church kept the populace illiterate so that they couldn't read the Bible themselves, and understand the corruption that was around them.

I hear some stuff on either CNN or FOX (they're on two different TVs on opposite ends of the cafeteria here at work), and I think: "No way. They couldn't possibly have said _that_ in that context. That would be politically stupid". There have been too many instances where media journalists have read something on "somebody's blog", and taken it to be true without personally investigating it. I then see this journalist actually passionately defending this stance that simply cannot be substantiated. There are times when I wonder whether this behavior is rooted in some lack of self confidence where if you were to question the report, it would come across as some kind of personal attack on the journalist.

I almost don't care what your beliefs are as long as you have _decided_ to believe in them, rather than just accepting them as default. I really try to listen to people, and balance what they say against my morals, and decide whether to accept or not accept their particular stance on subjects.

As Shrek said, "Ogres have layers", and so do we. Over the last couple of years (and before that, since I like self-reflection), I have asked myself "Who am I?". Sometimes the layers need to be removed through self-analysis before the reason for the layer's application can be understood, and certainly before you can see the foundational values for your beliefs.

I dislike being hypocritical, and since I'm human, I fall into this much more than I would like. I have beliefs that cannot be fully substantiated. I have spiritual beliefs that I have decided to accept because they feel right, and the explanations for which ring true with my personality and soul. I have beliefs in physics, and quantum mechanics, where mathematics is the only way to prove certain things. Some things just cannot be observed directly. I believe in people, as I have seen them perform acts of mercy for others (and our family) that simply humble me with their unselfish reasons.