Skepticism

WAIT, WHAT IS SKEPTICISM?

Before we get too far down this road, let’s make sure we know what skepticism is. Skepticism and science are really the same thing and work pretty much the same way. Skepticism is just about having a healthy dose of doubt and using reason to figure out what is probably real from what is probably not real. It means not believing you know something before you can prove it or at least make a very good case for it. Skepticism is nothing more than thinking and withholding belief until enough evidence has been presented. It also means keeping an open mind and being ready and able to change your mind when new and better evidence demands it. Proven doesn’t mean forever. A good skeptic thinks about the source of a claim and how well it ties in with what we already know about nature and people; and, most important, a good skeptic resists the temptation to make up answers to important questions. Saying “I don’t know” is not uncomfortable for a good skeptic. It’s routine.

I think of skepticism as science in action. It’s the scientific process modified and personalized for everyone to use in everyday life. Why should professional scientists be the only people who get to think straight? We civilians have just as much a right to use rational thinking as they do! I imagine my own skepticism to be something like a personal force field that protects me from invaders. It’s like a balled-up fist that punches out bad ideas aiming to do me harm. Who wouldn’t want that? If your skepticism force field is powered up and calibrated correctly, then the crooks, time wasters, crackpots, and creeps who want you to join their crazy clubs or buy their junk tend to bounce right off. Sometimes it’s dramatic and they get torched like a fly nose-diving into one of those electrified bug-whackers. Most of the time, however, you barely even notice their failed attempts because they are so weak and silly. But if your skeptical force field happens to be weak or turned off from time to time, it can be a very different story. The infiltrators will slip right in and proceed to infect you with their nonsense. Don’t miss the seriousness of this. The quality, strength, and consistency of your skeptical thinking will likely have a direct impact on your safety, success, and quality of life. Doing your best to stay free and clear from bad ideas and bad people who would take advantage of you should be a top priority. We may not have to worry about giant prehistoric cats eating us anymore, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t plenty of other predators looking for you.

Your skepticism can also be either purely selfish or strictly humanitarian in nature. It’s up to you. But either way, skepticism is the wise choice. If one wants to make the world better, safer, and smarter, skeptical thinking is the way to go. Why should me-first divas waste one second of their days on nonsense beliefs when it would mean less time to be selfish and self-centered? Become a good skeptic for the betterment of our species, or do it for yourself and to hell with the world. Just make sure you do it. If you aren’t sure which camp you belong in, don’t worry. Most good skeptics probably have a bit of both in them. I know I do.