Believing vs thinking

When speaking or writing, I avoid using the word “believe”. Instead, I replace it with “think”. “I think that…” instead of “I believe that”.

What’s the point? Language matters. Believing is the opposite of knowing. If you believe something, you don’t know something. Instead, you guess. You hope. You connect a few randomly acquired dots. You want something to be the case. You have been told that something is a fact. But you have no idea if it’s true. You are either too lazy to gather the data, or you are afraid that the data would contradict your belief, or you know that what you believe is impossible to prove. But in order to still make it sound relevant and important, you use the word “believe”.

And so, from my observation, the use of the verb “believe” has become a revealing indicator for weak points in an argumentation. One’s own or others. Whenever believe is being used, it’s a sign that a debate goes into the wrong direction.

For myself, I have found that replacing “believe” with “think” creates a different perception, and it challenges me. If you say “I think that…”, it sounds more like what it is: A modest hypothesis; the temporary result of your brain working that comes without any entitlement of representing the truth or being close to the truth. It could be, but you do not expect other people to instantly accept your statement as the truth. What you are saying might be bullshit, too. But it’s ok because it is not your “belief”. If you say you believe something, it has a different sound. An ideological one. One lacking honest reflection. It’s something you would repeat over and over again in many debates, without ever feeling the need to question it.

Of course “I believe” can also be replaced with other phrases such as “In my opinion” or “In my eyes” or “from my point of view”. In my eyes (hehe), all these phrases are great, because they really emphasize the subjectivity in a message. And they remind those who say it of it. As I pointed out previously. It’s challenging, too.

Personally I use “believe” only when it comes to people. I believe in myself, I believe in some other people. That’s a way of increasing motivation and optimism. If you don’t believe in that you can accomplish something it’s less likely that you will try. If others don’t believe in your capabilities, it also might affect you negative.

But in all other situations, I try to avoid “believing”. I prefer knowing something or having a personal point of view/hypothesis instead of a belief. That leaves at least a bit room for alternative perspectives, contradicting ideas and doubt. “Believing” often does not.

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