Belief Is Stronger than Knowledge

Happy New Year! There is a lot of research about the idea of a “fresh start” and how a Monday, the first of the month, a birthday, and most commonly, New Year’s Day can inspire change. That’s true, but while people have good intentions, they do not have enough follow through. Our belief is that resolutions will work and bring about personal change, but the facts dictate otherwise. 

For example, centuries ago it was scientifically proven and understood as common knowledge that the world was round--not flat. And yet the belief persisted that a ship could inadvertently sail off the edge of the world. When one looks at ships sailing away from port, they do disappear. But they don’t go off an edge, the curvature of the earth makes them “disappear.” The belief that the earth was flat was more firmly held than the knowledge that it is round. 

And that leads me to wonder about our particular climate. Even if facts and knowledge mean one thing, we are too eager to fall back to our beliefs. We may be predisposed to believe in a false narrative because it fits our preconceived notions. Of course we shouldn't, but…. For example, there is no discernible proof that tariffs will raise enough money to eliminate federal income tax, but since the president says that tariffs will do that, many in the cult believe it. 

We may mock the flat earthers of the 15th century for being driven by beliefs rather than knowledge, but we really shouldn’t. There’s plenty of evidence that we’re guilty of holding beliefs (even wrong ones) over knowledge.