Everyone has views on practically everything. And while some might say that all views are vaild, I'd say that just wishful thinking on their part. Just like saying that everyone is special. Sure, it's true on genetically, and although I'd never go so far as to say that two people are identical, I'd never say their completely different either. Because no matter what, we're all human.
And, since we're humans, and since humans have this ridiculously big brain that we don't seem to use as much as we should, we have views and opinions on everything as soon as we've heard about it for the first time.
Obviously that isn't really a good thing, since when we first have heard about something, it's probably from a source we trust in some way. Like a friend, a nice news site, a blog, etc. We assume, that since we like this/that/them, that they're right.
When was the last time you really doubted something someone you like said?
But just by checking things up a bit on your own you'll probably discover a lot that got lost in the translation. Or that what you heard was wrong. Sometimes it's even right! Just like the news really.
The news is interesting, because the purpose of most forms of news is to sell. Exaggerating things, leaving something out to make it more dramatic, and so on. These are all signs of a bad news. Entertainment news are usually bad for instance. Because people don't really care about getting informed about the entertainment, they care about being entertained be reading about the entertainment.
Always being critical gets annoying in the long run though, so it's a good idea to take a day of once in a while. Take it easy, watch some stupid action or comedy movie, take a bath, cook something nice. Relax. Let your brain rest and absorb the information it's received lately. It needs to do that once in a while. Usually at night, but it's probably a good idea to take a day off from time to time, just in case. Plus, it feels good to do nothing from time to time.
But this is just filler. An appetizer if you so wish.
What I really wanted to talk about is views. I know, I've mentioned them a bit, bitched about them a lot, and generally been a bit too cryptic for my own good.
But, what I wanted to say is this: If you can't question your own views, they suck.
In case the reason for this isn't obvious, I'll tell you: If you can't question what you think, and listen to other ideas and views, your censoring yourself and the world. You're shrinking the world from the viewpoint of your mind.
Which, despite what you may think, isn't a good idea. We've discovered how huge the world is, the billions of things within it, and now we don't want them to be there anymore? Sounds like devolving to me. The sound of the spreading of stupidity and ignorance. How does it sound? Like the wind speeding by maybe?
But sure, if something you've questioned does seem to still hold afterwards, it's probably not a worthless thought at least. If you find something that can take a lot of questioning and still kinda makes sense, then you've got yourself a keeper.
And I'm not talking about personal questioning of your views here. You need to get into the head of whoever objects to your view. If you're a Christian, you need to know and understand what Richards Dawkins thinks, and why. If you're Richard Dawkins, you need to understand Christianity.
But, here it gets tricky. Dawkins is a scientist. He can't just beliveve things. He needs some sort of reason. Belife for the sake of belife isn't gonna fly with any athesist. If you say that you find comfort and brotherhood in Church, a Athesist could possibly say that you take comfort in the notion that there is a meaning with life, other than life itself. A pshycological effect in other words. Just as the shared belife also gives a sense of comfort. Safety in numbers. Safety in belonging to a clan of likeminded. A tribe, in a way.
This could also be a danger with modern society, at least in my mind.
Since we can usually find likeminded, we don't have to change out minds. We don't get challanged by other ideas and views if we just stay in our own little tribe.
I'm running out of thoughts now, but remember that many of the great truths of today where so radical that some of their proponents ended up dead back in the day.
Radical thoughts change our world, which is the same as changing the world, since our view of the world becomes part of it. While fundamentalism will keeps things static and simple, and by doing so prevent change, and keep the world small.