Opinions, Beliefs, and Facts

In today's blog, I want to ruminate around some words, namely "opinions," "beliefs," and "facts."  We are surrounded by words, from our earliest years, but rarely think about their importance/definitions/meaning, and the influence they have on our lives.  Even today, as new forms of writing and speaking, such as texting and twittering, and new slang words, have been introduced, those new forms, as do all words, still carry a message.   

In this blog, one of the things I have been attempting to do is bring understanding that most of our public utterances are actually, "Opinions" and "Beliefs."  To restate, in general, most statements made and ideas expressed, whether by "Experts," authorities, teachers, or ourselves, are those which usually fall under the general headings: "Opinions and" "Beliefs," expressed as "Facts." 

The primary reasons for this is, as I have written in this blog, all of us have been Programmed and Indoctrinated to believe, that what we have been taught, are Facts.  As for those various Beliefs we hold as Truths, many not only feel they have the right, but, frequently the duty, to proselytize others in order to convert them.  Usually, to even suggest that we have been Programmed and Indoctrinated with what we Believe, will generally be rejected out-of-hand.  However, an individual who promotes Journaling for personal growth wrote me, (I paraphrase) I have found, in my own personal Journaling, that much of what I write comes down to what I believe.

As to those official "Facts," as I have written previously there is no "educated" individual who has not been deliberately Indoctrinated through their education.  The main reason for this is that most of us have been subliminally taught that, if we have read those words in a Textbook, they are Facts, because the Textbook was put together by, "Experts."  Or, if it is in another written form, say, Journals, have been written by someone who knows, and are, therefore, Facts.  This tendency is then generalized to accept the written words as factual, unless it is indicated in some way that it is, "fiction," or opinion, etc. The teachers are not to be blamed for this, as they have gone through the identical process themselves.

In general, we would rather not believe that what we consider, "Facts," are simply things we believe to be true, with little support, other than it is what we were Indoctrinated to believe.

This brings me to, "Opinions."  There are those individuals when in conversation, who like to say, "That's just your opinion," to dismiss what someone else has said.  (The definition of, "opinion" I am working with here is: "a belief or judgment that rests on grounds insufficient to produce complete certainty," (Dictionary.com) )  It is my, "opinion" that, in actuality, everything humans express, in speech, in print of some form, or otherwise, (if each of us would but acknowledge it), is that what we express, generally "rests on grounds insufficient to produce complete certainty."  

Those who have gone to the trouble to research, and understand what underlies what they say, are those who are most subject to being told that what they have said is, "just your opinion."  However, in general, what is presented as arguments, for or against something, whether it is in book form, other printed media, or visual  forms, is a mix of evidence--facts--opinions, and beliefs--unexamined, entrenched Programming and Indoctrination--as well as other acquired personal beliefs.  (And, we must not forget, the possibility of a good deal of acquired personal prejudices thrown into the mix.)  

Good examples of this problem  of determining what are actual facts, which have been in the public spotlight recently are: global warming, and President Obama's Birth Documents.  Those who have been truly paying attention to those, and other, items in the newspapers, have had to inspect all evidence, pro and con, as well as doing a good deal of independent thinking to come to any sort of even tentative conclusions.  

As I have written before, everyone has a personal Belief System.  Likewise, Every Thing--theory, science, historical event, etc., etc., has a Belief System.   When, in conversation, many of us, when expressing a belief in something considered controversial, experience being countered by someone with a dismissive, "I don't believe in that," as though their disbelief is enough to cancel out the other person's belief, no matter how that person came to believe what they do.

This brings us back to, "Facts."  Rarely are we encouraged to examine what we call, "Facts."  As indicated above, what we call, "Facts," are mostly things we learned in the process of getting an education.  From the beginning of our education, it is impressed upon us that what books contain are facts, especially Textbooks.  (Incidentally, I understand that Geography is no longer being taught in schools, and History, as a subject, is also being downgraded, or ignored.  The current emphasis, apparently, is primarily on Math and Science. While, what is, or was, being taught in schools may not be, or have been, actual facts, nonetheless, those subjects did have some value as a basis for stimulating an interest which could encourage further exploration.)

I have no knowledge to dispute the standing of mathematics as Facts.  As to the sciences, they also have the reputation of being a reliable repository of Facts, nonetheless, their pillars are set in mud, rather than cement.  I believe this is primarily because they are still the stronghold of the belief that the Darwinian Theory of Evolution is proven Fact. Still today, if you express any doubts of that theory, to well-educated individuals, you will probably have a heap of calumny piled upon you.  Those who have spent a great deal of time educating themselves, using a variety of resources, and have come to question its validity, are rarely given the respect they deserve. 

Likewise, those who have come to question other things they were taught were established Facts face a fate of losing professional respectability, not to mention the ability to publish their ideas in Journals.  This has been the case since the beginnings of any of them becoming established as sciences.

And so, I end today's blog.

Shirley Gallup