I love being able to ask questions too. I have challenged the "idea" of gravity and what I found was, well, its not an "idea" after all. Its what makes the world work, its how our planets and solar system forms (yada yada yada, Im not debating you, promise :P ). I like the similarity to your thinking to the Scientific Approach which is, at its core is: "Think For Yourself, Question Authority." Sometimes, it appears the "authority" (Experts, Gov't, Scholars, etc., however you perceive that word) is right, and sometimes its wrong. Sometimes its only part true, and we have yet to find out the whole truth. Sometimes, it wont even answer any question we have haha! But thats the process. Its not always a process of "Absolute Truth" but more a process of discovery on how the universe works.
Here are some questions to challenge you:
If the "norm" were true (take gravity for example), and I accepted it, would it, in all honesty, effect my life and faith?
(For me, it never has, I have always viewed it as "Wow, the world is much more complex than I thought, I guess I may have been wrong, but that doesnt effect my compassion, love, or faith in the world. Im human, making errors and learning is in our nature. :)
Second: There is no way for every human to know everything, so, when does personal knowledge end and "trust in an expert" begin when it comes to understanding our world?
(We all have to learn from someone who knows more than us. How else can we know the compositions of metals for forging the right tools, or the right method to garden, or how to measure the speed of water moving through a pipe or stream down hill to determine if it provides enough pressure and force to maintain a hydroelectric generator, or the complicated mathematical algorithms behind the Steemit Platform that power our economy) At one point, I feel, we have to trust and learn from those who have made it their goals to study and record the world at some point in order to understand the basics of our reality. Even though there are entities that do not have our best interest at heart (govt, religious, corporate, however you perceive it),I feel the process and rules of discovery and learning are universal, and the bad "knowledge" weeds itself out as time progresses.
I like the points you bring up. For me, I went down the whole flat earth rabbit trail, and while I don’t know which way it is nor do I really care in the end, it helped me develop the mindset to really question everything, which is a good mindset to have. ‘Think for yourself” like you said. Once I had that mindset, I discovered the truth about my faith, which is what really matters(to me at least).
I like your thinking on that. Because in the end, if its what matters to you, and its not hurting anyone, then thats ok! ^_^
The only time I have (at least I have tried to) really ever been outspoken about the "big internet debates" is when it is obvious that the person does not have the best interest of the people at heart, but their own personal agenda, and in turn causes harm and division. For me, I have tried to seperate the "wheat from the chaff" by looking at how complicated the matters have to be. For example (and you can apply this to any "belief" that are hot topics on the internet): I ask myself, how complicated is this person(s) view on the subject matter, are they trying to explain how the "things" work, or are they trying to get you to believe that someone (or thing) else is wrong? Is their motives based in fear of someone (or thing) trying to deceive them or the world, or on what can be documented, verified, and shared out of a passion for knowledge and truth?
I have a terrible anxiety disorder, and it was, at one point in my younger years, very easy to be deceived by what was out there, because my mind, every day, tries to convince me the world hates me, so you can see how that can take someone down a rabbit hole. Through counseling (not pharmaceutical medication, but I am a medical marijuana patient) I was able to understand how my mind works, and how I can process when I have genuine feelings of fear and when my mind is trying to get me. Thats where my mindset comes from when I have discussions like this (at least I try to haha!).
Great comment! I might be able to answer both of your questions with one word....agenda.
Once there is an established Idea or belief and it is pushed or encouraged for a social/financial type gain it needs to be questioned harder. That is even where doubt sets in, due to human actions and how they use information. If information is allowed to be information and we are still free to think what we want without exclusion or labeling, then it is wonderful. In all of my years studying metallurgy I have never read any biase or agenda behind the idea of metal or making alloys.
The idea of trusting an expert is completely up to the individual. There are many people that are considered experts in many things. We all choose who we enjoy following for the betterment of our lives.🙃
I like that. "Agenda" is a HUGE deciding factor on subjects. If there is an agenda, then it needs to be "under a microscope" for lack of a better term haha!
I come from the angle of "Is the person(s) more focused on their agenda and selling me something , are they just sharing a point of view, or am i reading/hearing something that, like you put it, without a bias or agenda?
The fog lifts when we have an analytical mind! Im glad you enjoyed my comment, it takes me a bit to get it out to where it makes sense sometimes. My brain is a million mile an hour machine that most normal people cant keep up hahahahaah!!!!