What about politics?

Ask a candidate about any issue, and they sure sound certain. Do you think someone could get elected if when asked about an issue they responded “You know, I’m not really sure about what is the right thing to do. If elected, I’ll gather a group of experts who will analyze the situation and arrive at the best available answer. Then we will look and see how our solution works, and if necessary, we will modify our plans to meet our goals more efficiently.” I think it’s much more likely that they would paint this candidate as a flip flopper or someone who doesn’t have answers. This candidate would stand next to no chance in getting elected. As a result, we have politicians who can’t even string an intelligible sentence together, but are absolutely sure about their convictions, no matter what evidence to the contrary. I’d much rather trust a candidate who says they don’t know, but tells me how they will figure out the answer, then one who claims to have all the answers going in.

What about religion?

Religion is not supposed to be about certainty. Religion is supposed to be about a basic set of principles to live by which are continually being adapted to the current world. It’s a constantly evolving pool of thoughts and beliefs. Look at the actual text of the bible. Many of the rules just don’t apply to the modern world, so we ignore them. Do we still keep slaves, but just not of our tribe? No, but the Old Testament says we can. However, this doesn’t fit into our world, so we have allowed our beliefs to evolve. This is the problem with the fundamentalist movements who assume certainty about religion. They apply their absolute views to an evolving world, and rapidly fall out of step with the mainstream. Then what happens? They get more insular and even more certain. This builds upon itself and pretty soon you get groups isolated from each other, violently opposed to anyone who doesn’t think the way they do, and willing to commit unspeakable acts because they don’t even acknowledge that the people who don’t think the way they do are even human.

I’m pretty sure that the world would be a much better place if people stopped being certain. It’s not about being cynical of everything, and never believing what you hear; it’s more about thinking critically and always seeking a better way. Keep reminding yourself that it’s possible that things are not true. It’s much better to believe that something is 99.99% probable then that it’s certainly true. The first choice leaves you open to growth. The second shuts out any new information, and prevents growth. In nature, when things stop growing, they start dying. We stagnate. Things don’t stay the same. If they aren’t getting better, they are getting worse. Being uncertain allows us to grow. Being certain allows us to feel right, but it doesn’t let us grow. It does us no good to insist that things stay the same or go back to the way they were. We need to always keep looking for better answers. I believe that this is the missing piece America has lost. We have become so sure we have all the answers, that as a nation, we have stopped listening.

For an amazing read on this subject, please pick up a copy of "The Meaning of it All," by Richard Feynman. He’s one of the great scientists and human beings of the 20th century, and it’s a fun, fast and enlightening read.