Bias a way

In a recent discussion in that place of higher learning I seem to gravitate towards, I was given something to chew on. In this I gained an understanding that I did not have before. In this discussion we talked about research, and questioning the sources of another. Passion overrode reason, and belief in an idea was so blinding that all they could see was the idea. It was too this concept that adherence was firm, and it did not matter the evidence that was presented. The question was simple and easy, you know the ones that people seem tot struggle the most with. In this we curbed the conversation in order to proceed with class.

Those of you that know me, know full well that if something is this thought provoking and can stimulate this much heated debate, it should be pondered. Now I am not going to make my best attempt to write here. I know this, so please bare with me. I am damn exhausted. It is actually hard right now to keep my eyes open and make my fingers type my words. This of course is based on the satisfaction of purpose and not just because of some self inflicted misery. I have spend the last week solid, helping my neighbors in this state, my fellow citizens, in a time of great need. Now in helping them my body has been tested and pushed, but my mind was left to chew on this concept of truth.

You see we as a people are biased. In most cases people will admit their bias, but rarely to the degree it really has a hold on their heart. Rarely do we really wrap words upon this concept that are worthy. Also no matter how hard we look into things, it is truly hard to understand the depth and control that predilection has on our views. I also know that this is going to piss off more than a few people as I try to give this physical form, from my weary mind. First and foremost I want to get the greatest offender out first. No matter who you are, no matter what you do, you will never get bias out of your view less you have no mind. Yep I said it, you are a bigoted asshole. On the flip side, so am I. We litter our thought process with preconceived ideas that we agree with, and you can not escape them.

In this we limit our views and claim to have found truth when ever we find things to support our vision of what is true. We declare that our view must be the wisest and cling to one sided facts. No matter what we can not be wrong. This must be the truth because of this number, or that number. We see this more and more as the election approaches. We see this personal slant and view of what they feel is truth. We see this picture we paint and start to apply our own bias and shape the world to our truth, or at least the way we see this world.

The real secret is getting more people to agree with you does not make you right. Having less people agree with you does not make you the keeper of the hidden truth. Actually you grab to tight to either of those extremes you find that number of people you call friend dwindle. Extremes suck on either side, and the easiest way to become an extremist is to surround yourself with people that agree with you. Just because you found one thing to support your ideas, or found a way to sway the written word to reflect your view of an issue does not make you right.

The wisdom I gained from this thought process is actually pretty shitty. My conclusion is that because of our own bias we as a species can rarely capture truth in its purest form. We can rarely if ever tell a truth other than our own. To further this is it equally difficult for us to see anything other than our view of the truth. Pure truth though is universal and not written. It is something you just know is the truth. Not because if feels good, but because it is just right. Most times we ignore that little voice in our gut, because we like the one that makes us feel warm and fuzzy. Damn its so easy to stroke our own ego huh.

No here is were my brain is hurting, and I am sure that I will wrap my mind around this after I get more than eight hours of sleep, and get the smell of ash and soot from my nose. Understand that no matter how fucking cool you think you are, you are biased. No matter how smart you think you are your own interest will influence how you interpret data that is presented to you. You can not free yourself from yourself no matter how cool you think you are. Now you want to not be a douche think about this, and ask yourself are you doing the right thing or the good thing. Are you doing what is actually good for your tribe, or what you think is good for your tribe? Stop being a douche and trying to pour your truth on others and admit your own damn bias. Understand it, and maybe you will just be a little less of a douche.