I dont understand the popularity of rapper/singer, Pitbull. I think hes a talentless hack. However, he is obviously a good business man, is rich, therefore people listen to what he says and find it inspiring. Last night on David Letterman, when asked how he survived growing up in South Florida (as did I, by the way) he said, If you dont stand for something youll fall for anything. The crowd applauded this philosophical nugget as though it was the most revelatory thing they had ever heard. I never understood that phrase. Its nonsensical on its face. I mean, even if you fall for something you will likely stand for that thing, thus negating the deep truth of this pap disguised as deep thinking. This sort of thinking is often applied to atheists, too. Many folks are just uncomfortable with the idea that someone doesnt believe in anything. I have had discussions with people who would rather that I adhere to the teaching of a cult, rather than (gasp) refuse to believe in any kind of god, altogether. You know, if you dont stand for something... Then I talk to those who offer their version of Paschals Wager. It goes something like this: What if youre wrong?! Why dont you just believe a god became a man, died for your sins, then rose from the dead....just in case? Again, masquerading as deep thought this gem ignores the obvious. By Paschals logic, youd have to believe EVERY religion in order to cover your bases. Instead, every religious person is atheistic to ALL other religions...except their own. I just go one further...for the exact same reasons that Christians reject Islam and Hinduism and... Part and parcel with the ...stand for something... and Paschals Wager arguments is the mistaken notion that non-believers also lack the ability to experience wonder, amazement, thankfulness, awe, etc. Somehow, so the thinking might go, rationality and knowledge diminish the intangibles of a thing. This isnt exclusive to religious people. Its the same reaction that proponents of psychics have toward skeptics. Folks who fervently believe in UFOs, Bigfoot and ghosts accuse skeptics of attacking (or destroying) their comfortable delusions. While I do take exception to such a malicious motive being foisted upon me, I must concede one point: knowledge does have a way of destroying comfortable delusions. Humans used to think that a chariot pulled by horses caused the sun to rise. We are now fairly certain that is not the case. I dont understand why ignorance and magical-thinking is seen by some to be more valuable or more desirable than actually knowing something. No, science does not have ALL the answers. But then, unlike religion, it doesnt claim to. What science does claim is that there is a way to weed out the noise and the nonsense and get to the heart of a thing. Scientific inquiry begins with awe and wonder in the form of a question. The question is asked over and over again in order to be ever more certain of the answers. I offer the idea that to simply be amazed by something that appears to be mystical, supernatural or unexplainable is only half the job. True awe and wonder come when we stop conflating willful ignorance with childlike innocence. What an insult to children! Like all of my children did when they were little and like every scientist, ever, I want to keep asking, Why?
Posted on: Wed, 27 Nov 2013 16:43:00 +0000
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