This is something I'm struggling with personally — the culmination of my experiences, observations, and information disseminated to me have led me to start believing that Marxism/historical materialism is... well, correct. That it is based in scientific fact, that it is the most logical conclusion when presented with the evidence provided, that there's no other sound interpretation. I've never such a strong belief in something sociopolitical before, I've always tried to keep a healthy level of doubt and an open mind so I could build myself a newer conclusion based on further experience. Yet, this feels like the end of the road, like there's nothing more to be concluded, like if you disagree, you just don't have a proper understanding, and I don't know how to reconcile that. I feel so strongly as though this is the "truth" because of what I've experienced, yet I lack the skills to convey why. Got me feeling like a zealot spouting complex conspiracies.
In my experience, the important thing to realize is the unconscious psychological and social factors that lead us to adopting a belief system. We like to portray ourselves (contrasted with others) as passionlessly evaluating the sum total of the evidence following it unquestioningly, but I don't find that a particularly compelling or accurate description.
So I think in terms of a weak sort of fallibilism, where yes, I do think what I think, but I also note that I'm just some guy who is just as open to cognitive bias and social influences as anyone else. I think that is a very helpful way to mitigate notions that I am smarter or more honest or braver than anyone who just couldn't arrive at the same conclusions as me.
Thank you, Comrade. It's very easy to forget we're just as subject to those unconscious social factors around us as everyone else, and you can never be sure that you're approaching something unaffected.
This is something I'm struggling with personally — the culmination of my experiences, observations, and information disseminated to me have led me to start believing that Marxism/historical materialism is... well, correct. That it is based in scientific fact, that it is the most logical conclusion when presented with the evidence provided, that there's no other sound interpretation. I've never such a strong belief in something sociopolitical before, I've always tried to keep a healthy level of doubt and an open mind so I could build myself a newer conclusion based on further experience. Yet, this feels like the end of the road, like there's nothing more to be concluded, like if you disagree, you just don't have a proper understanding, and I don't know how to reconcile that. I feel so strongly as though this is the "truth" because of what I've experienced, yet I lack the skills to convey why. Got me feeling like a zealot spouting complex conspiracies.
In my experience, the important thing to realize is the unconscious psychological and social factors that lead us to adopting a belief system. We like to portray ourselves (contrasted with others) as passionlessly evaluating the sum total of the evidence following it unquestioningly, but I don't find that a particularly compelling or accurate description.
So I think in terms of a weak sort of fallibilism, where yes, I do think what I think, but I also note that I'm just some guy who is just as open to cognitive bias and social influences as anyone else. I think that is a very helpful way to mitigate notions that I am smarter or more honest or braver than anyone who just couldn't arrive at the same conclusions as me.
Thank you, Comrade. It's very easy to forget we're just as subject to those unconscious social factors around us as everyone else, and you can never be sure that you're approaching something unaffected.