It is crazy that this even needs to be said, but it is okay to be rational. It is not only okay, but it is preferable. When did the application of reason and logic become a bad thing? We have a country full of people that have been convinced by their parents, their teachers, the media, and society that their subjective opinion is equally as valid as an objective fact. They have been led to believe that they can change what is and is not a fact simply by choosing whether to accept or reject it and that individual truth is a valid concept. I am sorry but objective facts do not change based on what you choose to accept or reject and there is no such thing as “my truth,” there is just the truth. All things are not and cannot be simultaneously true, every proposition does not deserve equal consideration, and a fact cannot be negated by simply stating: “I don’t believe that.”
It is okay to admit when you are wrong and change your position when presented with new information. One of the key indicators of intelligence is the ability to alter positions as evidence or information dictates. In other words, recognizing when evidence contradicts something that you believe and changing in accordance. The idea that an informed change of position is a sign of weakness is not only absurd but perverse. Yet increasingly people seem unwilling to do so. The current strategy is to double down on your incorrect position and loudly insist that you are in fact correct. I will let you in on a little secret…doubling down on an incorrect position only makes you doubly incorrect. How about taking the time to assess and process the new information and then adjust your position accordingly? It is okay…
It is okay to absorb criticism of a belief, ideology, or position and evaluate the merits without personalizing it as an attack on you the individual. Pointing out something that is inherently flawed with the religion or political ideology you adhere to is not an attack on your character. It is merely an observation of some fact about that belief or ideology. I know that you have been conditioned to think otherwise but, you can be a part of, support, or believe something while at the same time recognizing that it is less than perfect. It is okay…
It is okay to be the voice of rational dissent. The truth of a proposition is not determined by how many people believe or reject it. A minority, fringe, or counterintuitive position that is informed by reason, logic, and supporting evidence is preferable and superior to one that lacks or is contradicted by the same, regardless of how popular that position may be. It is okay…
It is okay to admit that you do not know. Being aware of the limitations of your knowledge and competence is another of those import indicators of intelligence that has unfortunately been viewed as a negative. In fact, it is an advantage to identify those areas where you are strong and those where you are weak, and to take steps to fill in the gaps in knowledge. This places you at an advantage over those who overestimate their knowledge and underestimate their ignorance. It is okay…
It is okay to choose a side if that choice is sufficiently informed by rationality. The idea that every proposition has two equally valid “sides” is ridiculous. Context is important however, some things are cut and dry, and the facts remain constant irrespective of what side of the facts you choose to occupy. It is okay…
It is okay if some of the aforementioned applies to you. We all have areas of life where we can stand to improve. It is nice to have a reminder that whatever our shortcomings, it is okay. It is okay to be flawed, confused, and unreasonable if we recognize this about ourselves and work towards remediating it. Our deficiencies provide us with goals for self-improvement. Those goals should include steps to be more consistent in our application of reason and logic over time. It is okay!
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