MASTERING INTELLECTUAL SELF-DEFENSE
Installing Mindware
Protecting your mind from harmful ideas and engaging in intellectual self-defense part 1.
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I think I’m going to start a new series based on a couple of subjects that have been weighing heavily on my mind as of late.
I know.
Another one?!?
Yes. Another one.
This means I’ll probably not finish a single book or project I’ve started since last August but what can I say, I’m an under or overachiever.
Beliefs are powerful
I firmly believe that our beliefs directly influence and motivate our actions and how we live our lives.
They determine how we interact with strangers in the public square, our neighbors, and our coworkers. The actions we take based on our beliefs also influence those around us in our direct sphere of influence and those action sometimes dictate how they react which can cause a chain reaction.
I wonder what our actions would be if we could foresee the end results of our actions. Would we choose differently? Would it affect our beliefs?
Beliefs have consequences
Bad beliefs and ideologies have the tendency to act as a virus that spreads, replicates, and evolves over time.
As we protect against viruses that attack our body, so must we protect our mind against highly contagious mind viruses.
Wisdom vs intelligence
Sadly, most existing approaches to the problem of mind viruses are failing us, and this is evident by the number of intelligent people falling for bad ideas.
As a recovering conspiracy theorist, my goal is to believe as many true things as possible and as few untrue things as possible.
As a former anti-vaxxer, I know all too well the destruction and devastation that comes with taking bad beliefs to their furthest extent. Thankfully, neither I nor my family were directly impacted or harmed by bad beliefs, but I chalk that up to blind luck, geography, and neighbors.
I shudder to think what my life would be like today had I lived in a neighborhood surrounded by like-minded individuals. Luckily, almost everyone around me hadn’t succumbed to that particular stupidity which helped protect me.
Dipping my toes
I’ve slowly immersed myself in philosophy and critical thinking. I won’t say that I fully understand philosophical terms, phrases or principles but I want to.
You can call me a philosophical enthusiast and novice.
Philosophy can be boiled down to the simple phrase; “The love of wisdom”.
It’s not enough to be a person with a high IQ. Look at all the intelligent people in the news and interviews and then you hear them speak on whatever subject and they sound like complete morons. If you don’t have the wisdom to put your intelligence to good use, the intelligence is wasted and can even become dangerous.
I hate to break it to some people but this ability to monetize your intelligence does not make you smart. There are a lot of billionaires who are completely dumb as shit. They just know how to make large amounts of money.
Philosophy’s early origins
Think of philosophy as a sort of scavenger hunt for truth and wisdom. Sometimes it feels like stumbling in the dark. I don’t expect to find “illumination” all at once, but I hope to at least get started toward that goal.
It’s a lifelong process, not a one-and-done treasure hunt.
Socrates launched Western philosophy by walking up and down the streets of Athens engaging people in conversation and was forced to poison himself with hemlock for his troubles.
I know not everyone will appreciate your pursuit of truth, but goddamn!
Anyone else want to be a philosopher?!?
I’ll settle for Comicus the stand-up philosopher and bullshit any day of the week thank you very much!
You might not be liked
Exposing people’s bad ideas will not win you any popularity contests. I’m finding out that very very few people want you to be truthful about their beliefs even though if you read their social media posts with inspirational quotes about how much they value truth, you are led to believe that the truth is the end all be all for them.
Tread with caution.
Getting into philosophy is easy
What’s great about philosophy is that it doesn’t require a vast amount of intelligence or a fancy degree to get into it.
Use questions and reason to test ideas and whether or not they are good or valid. Philosophizing just means paying attention to problematic features of bad ideas and guarding against falling for or growing fond of them.
Rule of thumb:
Always be skeptical of ideologies you like or find attractive.
Even though philosophy isn’t an exact science even though there is some overlap with how philosophy delves into how we know what we know through epistemic questions.
Thank you for reading.🌺
To be continued….
For further reading:
Mental Immunity: Infectious Ideas, Mind-Parasites, and the Search for a Better Way to Think
Book by Andy Norman
