thoughts on common knowledge

How often have you overheard someone begin with, “well my friend says that...”? We as humans are constantly re-evaluating fact in light of common knowledge and experience. This may come as a surprise in the digital age, but should all the experts denounce something and a friend enjoy it, we will be tempted if not succumb to believe that experience trumps. Of course, this is intricately tied to what friend is talking (how we feel about them) as well as our internal desire to believe one way or another. Good old subjective thought wins out over objectivity nine times out of ten.

There is hope, however. We can learn to suspend judgment and weigh the issues at hand, by firstly cultivating an awareness that we do assume with astonishing rapidity and frequency. Being aware of how often we are prone to stubborn belief even in the face of indisputable fact, we can then start to dissect in any given situation what is causing us to believe. This is not to say that our belief is wrong, or that we may be justified in our stubbornness, but rather to caution us from not weighing all the aspects of a given situation. Hope against hope is the exception, not the norm. We have been given a rational mind for a reason, we need not forego it because we are lazy. Faith and reason are not mutually exclusive. 

The significance blossoms further when we think of situations that perhaps do not have an objective answer. If we cultivate a open impartial attitude that cautiously avoids dismissive judgments, then we will not callously dismiss people, for example. We will realize that in spite of our subjective feelings there may be more ways to view the person than we have felt, and we can empathetically relate to them in more positive manners. Our feelings, while legitimate and to some extent unavoidable, need not dictate abysmal treatment.

We must also realize that our reactions, while emotionally justified, are not rationally consistent. We may take the opinions of a friend in one area yet not in another. And should the same friend criticize our actions, beware! we may then reverse our opinions in light of the status quo after all. To some extent we are all hypocrites and need be aware of this propensity. At the same time, we are always growing in our knowledge and relationships are key in this. As long as we are aware of our inclination toward undue weight on opinions, we can continue to evaluate, grow and explore our world.