"Choose to believe," I've found is more, "Choose to suspend disbelief." It isn't the proof for belief but the default to accept a belief and, typically, stop looking for disconfirmatory information.
You and David both brought the same thing up! I am intrigued by the idea of the suspension of disbelief and the curious evolution of that phrase over time.
Motion pictures and television (particularly animation) require a choice to believe- known as "suspension of disbelief"- to work most effectively. If the work succeeds, you are under the impression that it is real despite it being an extended illusion, and less likely to criticize it unless you know of the circumstances under which it was created.
I understand and agree with you that belief can often become very dangerous.
It's like Frodo and the ring in Lord Of The Rings.
Only Frodo could handle the power of the ring, it would drive the others mad.
In the case of belief, some can NOT handle the power the unknown holds and create cults, etc. that harm others, etc. The power behind the unknown is not of this world and people shouldn't take advantage of that. Just as the power of the ring was not of this world in the story of the Lord Of The Rings.
I completely understand that fact.
Belief is truly a hard thing to look at as good if you see only the reality behind the darker side of it.
In seeing that reality though, you should see that it goes both ways.
Good and bad...it's up to us to choose.
It's up to us to follow those who hold only hate in their hearts for those who have taken advantage of belief and forget the good things about belief.
Some have simply been abused and are not ready to trust again, truly that's ok and completely understandable.
Others are ready to continue to take a HUGE risk and continue to believe. I personally believe as the character Sam in Lord of the rings when asked by Frodo "What are we holding onto Sam?" Sam "That there is some good in this world and it's worth fighting for."
Can you tell that I love Lord Of The Rings? ;) That gets me every time... Sean really did a beautiful job when it comes to that character.
If you continue to believe though, I would suggest that you do so realistically and without following one person. That is why I have chosen NOT to be a life coach and to stick with art.
I know dang well that I could make videos on how to live and charge for them in order to make a good living. Today, technology makes it so that anyone could! Unless they have been hacked that is.
I'd have every right to do that too because everyone needs a job. Rent isn't free, food isn't free, etc. but I just do NOT feel comfortable going to that place.
I still follow some people who DO feel comfortable going there though. I'm just realistic, if I follow someone it's not going to be following those who are unwilling to listen to others or think that they hold all the answers to life itself, etc.
The Lord Of The Rings is a book and movie and even in that book and movie, the character of Frodo was scarred for life and almost did not make it.
I feel like Frodo and if there were a boat that could take me away to Scotland, I'd jump on it.
The difference in those who have been scarred in cults and my scar is simply that those in cults were scarred by a man who could not handle the power of the unknown and went mad.
I was scarred by a surgical procedure that I had to have in order to continue living.
Sadly, it took years to look in the mirror and NOT see a freak. I know that's NOT the same type of scar those in some cults have and NOT something that any of them had to suffer through.
It REALLY doesn't matter to me though because a scar is a scar. Besides today, I don't know what I see because I've grown used to it. I just see me. Gotta miss the person I was but I'm proud of who I am today!
We both have one thing on common beyond that though. The invisible scars we have. All of us were living in a community we trusted. All of us were around people we loved and believed in, felt safe around. We all learned in different ways how all of that love, trust, belief was wrong and pulled out from under us.
Only one of the Churches I went to gave a culty-like feel and that was after it had grown as well.
As soon as I got that feel, I left it and never went back. BEFORE that, the Church helped me a great deal though!
My point: I have plenty of reasons to give up on belief but I never will. To me, giving up on belief is giving up on life itself and that I will never do. My belief has changed ALOT but I know that my belief in the Church, Arts and my Doctors, Surgeons, Nurses is why I am alive today. I would not be here if it were not for them. I owe it to them to keep going and little reminders from the unknown remind me that I'm not alone whenever I forget that fact. I know that it's dangerous to believe but in cases like mine it's even more dangerous NOT to believe.
Do we choose what we believe in, and can we shift the territory of belief? I think we all have ways of dodging the origin of belief. I know there’s a mental war when it comes to beliefs, especially when you begin opening yourself to new possibilities. Everything you thought was possible starts to shift under the light of events and upbringing.
For me, it is a mix of training my mind toward the belief I want and surrendering to the brutal reality I have to cope with. It’s that magical in-between where you think something isn’t possible, and then suddenly it is. Does that make you a long-term believer? I am not sure, but it does shift patterns and make space for more intentional beliefs. I think of Norman Vincent Peale and his “Believe You Can and You Can.” That idea has been infused in my mindset for years. I think the choice lies in pursuing belief with presence and intention. Only time can confirm whether that pursuit was valid and worthy of bringing impactful changes and growth.
In the end, it all comes down to the one who holds the belief and what they choose to do with it. Today, with ''replicant AI'', choosing to believe has become quite a challenge. It blurs the lines for us while mimicking the patterns we often take for granted (as you said). I hope we do not forget the power of belief—what it does and what it’s capable of in the hands of people, whether for good or bad.
That's the special case I was talking about -- when your belief manifests into a positive outcome simply because it exists. That's the best sort of belief!
"Choose to believe," I've found is more, "Choose to suspend disbelief." It isn't the proof for belief but the default to accept a belief and, typically, stop looking for disconfirmatory information.
You and David both brought the same thing up! I am intrigued by the idea of the suspension of disbelief and the curious evolution of that phrase over time.
I choose to believe this comment of mine is going to be published on the cover of Time magazine as comment of the year!
Thanks for the shout-out!
Of course! You're my only friend to appear (in the future) on the cover of Time.
This comment just got added to the belief box. Above that it was vocalized, you just never know what unbelief or play with belief can do...
Motion pictures and television (particularly animation) require a choice to believe- known as "suspension of disbelief"- to work most effectively. If the work succeeds, you are under the impression that it is real despite it being an extended illusion, and less likely to criticize it unless you know of the circumstances under which it was created.
Good point. And, "suspension" implies that this is a temporary state, and the person watching knows this.
It's when disbelief isn't suspended, but instead rock solid, that things go sideways for society.
https://youtu.be/wBNox7kkXRc?si=hQ8yWO8CQLbqd4g-
Dang, should I go listen to CvB? I never listened to them.
I understand and agree with you that belief can often become very dangerous.
It's like Frodo and the ring in Lord Of The Rings.
Only Frodo could handle the power of the ring, it would drive the others mad.
In the case of belief, some can NOT handle the power the unknown holds and create cults, etc. that harm others, etc. The power behind the unknown is not of this world and people shouldn't take advantage of that. Just as the power of the ring was not of this world in the story of the Lord Of The Rings.
I completely understand that fact.
Belief is truly a hard thing to look at as good if you see only the reality behind the darker side of it.
In seeing that reality though, you should see that it goes both ways.
Good and bad...it's up to us to choose.
It's up to us to follow those who hold only hate in their hearts for those who have taken advantage of belief and forget the good things about belief.
Some have simply been abused and are not ready to trust again, truly that's ok and completely understandable.
Others are ready to continue to take a HUGE risk and continue to believe. I personally believe as the character Sam in Lord of the rings when asked by Frodo "What are we holding onto Sam?" Sam "That there is some good in this world and it's worth fighting for."
Can you tell that I love Lord Of The Rings? ;) That gets me every time... Sean really did a beautiful job when it comes to that character.
If you continue to believe though, I would suggest that you do so realistically and without following one person. That is why I have chosen NOT to be a life coach and to stick with art.
I know dang well that I could make videos on how to live and charge for them in order to make a good living. Today, technology makes it so that anyone could! Unless they have been hacked that is.
I'd have every right to do that too because everyone needs a job. Rent isn't free, food isn't free, etc. but I just do NOT feel comfortable going to that place.
I still follow some people who DO feel comfortable going there though. I'm just realistic, if I follow someone it's not going to be following those who are unwilling to listen to others or think that they hold all the answers to life itself, etc.
The Lord Of The Rings is a book and movie and even in that book and movie, the character of Frodo was scarred for life and almost did not make it.
I feel like Frodo and if there were a boat that could take me away to Scotland, I'd jump on it.
The difference in those who have been scarred in cults and my scar is simply that those in cults were scarred by a man who could not handle the power of the unknown and went mad.
I was scarred by a surgical procedure that I had to have in order to continue living.
Sadly, it took years to look in the mirror and NOT see a freak. I know that's NOT the same type of scar those in some cults have and NOT something that any of them had to suffer through.
It REALLY doesn't matter to me though because a scar is a scar. Besides today, I don't know what I see because I've grown used to it. I just see me. Gotta miss the person I was but I'm proud of who I am today!
We both have one thing on common beyond that though. The invisible scars we have. All of us were living in a community we trusted. All of us were around people we loved and believed in, felt safe around. We all learned in different ways how all of that love, trust, belief was wrong and pulled out from under us.
Only one of the Churches I went to gave a culty-like feel and that was after it had grown as well.
As soon as I got that feel, I left it and never went back. BEFORE that, the Church helped me a great deal though!
My point: I have plenty of reasons to give up on belief but I never will. To me, giving up on belief is giving up on life itself and that I will never do. My belief has changed ALOT but I know that my belief in the Church, Arts and my Doctors, Surgeons, Nurses is why I am alive today. I would not be here if it were not for them. I owe it to them to keep going and little reminders from the unknown remind me that I'm not alone whenever I forget that fact. I know that it's dangerous to believe but in cases like mine it's even more dangerous NOT to believe.
Very interesting topic, Andrew!
Do we choose what we believe in, and can we shift the territory of belief? I think we all have ways of dodging the origin of belief. I know there’s a mental war when it comes to beliefs, especially when you begin opening yourself to new possibilities. Everything you thought was possible starts to shift under the light of events and upbringing.
For me, it is a mix of training my mind toward the belief I want and surrendering to the brutal reality I have to cope with. It’s that magical in-between where you think something isn’t possible, and then suddenly it is. Does that make you a long-term believer? I am not sure, but it does shift patterns and make space for more intentional beliefs. I think of Norman Vincent Peale and his “Believe You Can and You Can.” That idea has been infused in my mindset for years. I think the choice lies in pursuing belief with presence and intention. Only time can confirm whether that pursuit was valid and worthy of bringing impactful changes and growth.
In the end, it all comes down to the one who holds the belief and what they choose to do with it. Today, with ''replicant AI'', choosing to believe has become quite a challenge. It blurs the lines for us while mimicking the patterns we often take for granted (as you said). I hope we do not forget the power of belief—what it does and what it’s capable of in the hands of people, whether for good or bad.
That's the special case I was talking about -- when your belief manifests into a positive outcome simply because it exists. That's the best sort of belief!
I agree 🎯
I tend to use the phrase, “working hypothesis or theory”.
I like that. I feel like I don't actually "know" anything in any real sense, but instead I have varying degrees of confidence around these hypotheses.
🎯