3 ms·

Be like water. You can believe, just don't attach yourself to those beliefs. Simple in concept, not so much in execution. Worth practicing.

bendbro 7y ago
I agree, but "attachment to belief" is not solely in the mind. Your beliefs are also "attached" to all of the decisions you make based on those beliefs. Those decisions alter the "position" of your life- with that position being highly dimensional (the city you live in, the kind of house you have, how your transport yourself, how many kids you have, what kind of diploma you have, how you raise your children, etc). And changing position often comes at a great cost. Assume you have a belief that fluctuates frequently (perhaps due to changing scientific or expert consensus). Also assume that this belief is attached to the position of your life in a highly costly manner. It is entirely reasonable to insulate your beliefs, and thus the cost of altering the position of your life to match the external belief, from the frequent external fluctuation of this belief. I'd imagine this is the fundamental (non-politicized) driving force behind conservatism. I see this strategy playing out as illustrated in the graph below. The straight line is your internal belief. The fluctuating line is external belief. Effectively, you are running a filter on external belief, making you slow, but eventually able to react to the changing external belief. However, since your sentiment fluctuates less than external sentiment, your costs are kept low. s e| n| /\ /\ /\ t| _/__\____/__\____/__\__ i| / \ / \ / \ m| / \/ \/ \ e|___________________________ n time t Everyone practices this strategy to some degree. Some are more mindless about it than others. Some practice it with a greater emphasis than others. Let's call this strategy an "insulated belief system". Conservative viewpoints are traditionally associated with an insulated belief system since insulating oneself implies confidence in oneself as an isolated individual. Liberal viewpoints do not associate with an insulated belief system since liberals tend to rely less on oneself and more on the community. Despite this, it isn't impossible to be a liberal who owns an insulated belief system. It would just be rare.

bendbro 7y ago

I agree, but "attachment to belief" is not solely in the mind. Your beliefs are also "attached" to all of the decisions you make based on those beliefs. Those decisions alter the "position" of your life- with that position being highly dimensional (the city you live in, the kind of house you have, how your transport yourself, how many kids you have, what kind of diploma you have, how you raise your children, etc). And changing position often comes at a great cost. Assume you have a belief that fluctuates frequently (perhaps due to changing scientific or expert consensus). Also assume that this belief is attached to the position of your life in a highly costly manner. It is entirely reasonable to insulate your beliefs, and thus the cost of altering the position of your life to match the external belief, from the frequent external fluctuation of this belief. I'd imagine this is the fundamental (non-politicized) driving force behind conservatism. I see this strategy playing out as illustrated in the graph below. The straight line is your internal belief. The fluctuating line is external belief. Effectively, you are running a filter on external belief, making you slow, but eventually able to react to the changing external belief. However, since your sentiment fluctuates less than external sentiment, your costs are kept low. s e| n| /\ /\ /\ t| _/__\____/__\____/__\__ i| / \ / \ / \ m| / \/ \/ \ e|___________________________ n time t Everyone practices this strategy to some degree. Some are more mindless about it than others. Some practice it with a greater emphasis than others. Let's call this strategy an "insulated belief system". Conservative viewpoints are traditionally associated with an insulated belief system since insulating oneself implies confidence in oneself as an isolated individual. Liberal viewpoints do not associate with an insulated belief system since liberals tend to rely less on oneself and more on the community. Despite this, it isn't impossible to be a liberal who owns an insulated belief system. It would just be rare.