Ignorance is bliss

It was about time to write an accessible introduction on my own philosophy.

The primary goal of this text is to give you a starting notion of a particular way of thinking positive. Mainly because the simple expression 'think positive' is so vague it doesn't give you a practical clue about how to actually start thinking positive. 

And of course I don't mean to look at the world through a naive and pink goody-good optimism which thinks there is nothing wrong in life whatsoever. Let's not be blind, but let's be as positive as realistically possible. ^^

Enjoy. :)

Dutch version

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We should only question something when we have a good reason to do so. That's the direct opposition for a common consensus, namely: only to believe something to be true when you have good reasons to do so.

With this, I'm wandering near the fine and blurry line of irrationality. But I am not crossing it and firmly believe we should question our beliefs and opinions only when we have good reasons to do so. The given that these beliefs would appear false upon observation, is in itself no sufficient reason to abandon them.

Only when discontented, when we experience a clash between our beliefs and the world, yes, only then it is justified to apply our most sharp scrutiny and start examining those beliefs. Yet, once this clash ceases to exist in our experience, once the discontent is dissolved, it is no longer needed to continue the cross-examination of our clashing beliefs.

The scrutinizing faculty of reason (which scans for causes and inconsistencies) is best seen as a pair of pruning shears in our mental garden: we should only apply them to exterminate weeds. And we should take heed not to cut through flowers and weeds alike, whilst we leave nothing behind but a barren, empty dessert.

I like to admit I'm a big fan of pretty illusions. Think about it. Once a dream, a fantasy or an illusion is seen through it never comes back to live. Now, try to re-establish your belief in the Easter Bunny, or Santa Claus, or any of the innocent little lies and fairytales your parents told you as a kid. Nice little stories to believe in, forever gone!

Now, judge for yourself. When a belief in something causes no problem at all, yet provides us with a good mood, optimism or an inner calm - why for heavens sake would we want to tear apart that belief, why would we want to kill and dissect it with the scalpel of reason?

Well, alright. Maybe the belief might strictly speaking be wrong. But what's gained by that? An example. 

Many people have an unfounded confidence in their own skills and trust themselves more than capable to do their job right, without therefore being arrogant or know-it-alls. They think better of themselves than they really are, so their opinion is false. Yet, thanks to their solid selfconfidence they succeed in finishing tasks they would never have succeed in, had they thought more realistically about themselves.

Why should we question shuch believes in ourselves? It doesn't make sense! And in others? Ah, yes, exactly! The unfounded questioning of someone's false beliefs is nothing more and nothing less than immoral! A belief  being false is in itself not enough reason to question it. 

On the other side, there is a whole set of believes which both are false and cause missery in our lives. Not in the least I'm talking about a negative self-image, negative images of other people or even misantropy and pessimistic world views. This also includes negative stereotypes and generalisations. But more in general I'm aiming at any onfounded negative thought or intention.

I consider it irrational and of intellectual neglect, and simply not wise, to even tollerate such weeds to exist in our own mental garden or that of those near to us. Helping others cut through those tough vines so they can cultivate a marvelous and positive garden is a kind and good thing to do.

Ah, alas! Everyone of us, I think, knows somebody witch such a bleak outlook on the world, such a grim self-image, yes, everyone of us will have experienced those powerless moments where a desperate friend, relative or acquaintance was exclaiming in a bitter voice: 'they all hate me, I'm not worth it, I'm good for nothing, I suck at everything, I can't do anything right, the world is against me, there is no hope, all people are just mean oportunists, I'm ugly, it's all meaningless, …' etc.

These are the complaints to be cured by my philosophy!

And finally there is still one more issue, an issue I'd like to empasize as little as possible because it can provoke a halt in our thinking. It concerns the fact our world as we perceive it is filled with attrocities we hoped never to have learned about. Horrible stories, each and every one of them!
Of course, it doesn't have to be as exagerated as I pose it to be. This concerns little and annoying, yet not horrible, facts as well. And the extent in which a person experiences his or her world as filled with such undesirable facts differs between people. Some people think it's not all that bad, while others witness the last rose drown in a valey of tears. But I hope we all can agree there are things we better had not known.
On a light personal note: I rather don't  know what my dentist is going to do to me. I rather stay in my delightfull bliss of ignorance, just holding on to my trust everything is going to be just fine. :)