Man of Science, Man of Faith.
Jun. 15th, 2009 06:28 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
per_soloA lot of the time in my life, I trust my instincts. Others I know, several of whom are good friends, trust facts, and all the pieces of information they can accumulate. This can be in regards to job hunting, what is best, or even information coming in from our government.
We are led, a lot of times, to believe that anything that is different than what "we" believe is wrong.
Which tends to be a crock o' shit.
My way of viewing the world works for me. There are others it works for, but not all.
I've learned to trust my instincts, in many cases. In fact, in the past, some of the worst mistakes I've made have been when I've not trusted my instincts.
For others, instincts are unfathomable, or impractical, at least for their lives. They take in all information, all facts, and then use that to guide their decisions.
I like to think that works, too. I know that in my case, my instincts tend to be an amalgamation of ALL the data I've accumulated before, and that it helps me analyze my instincts, sometimes much quicker than I would give credit to. My "gut feeling" as it were.
One of the things I've grown to love is my ability to perceive how people will react to things. Add in that my brain tends to plot out all the given variables that can happen, and you've got a brain that can feel...crazy, at times.
My father used to say "Probability and Outcome", what are the varied probabilities that a course of action will engender, and what are the outcomes...and are you willing to deal with a potential outcome.
Yeah, it is fairly accurate..it doesn't always work in practice, as we rarely think out to the Nth degree the possible ramifications of any course of action.
The title of this post was partially inspired by the show Lost. There are almost always 2 sides in this battle...the Man of Science, who believes in rationality..and the Man of Faith, who believes in something bigger, something less well defined.
In this case, I almost always fall onto the side of the Man of Faith. Not faith in a deity (unless you count Loki, who I think is the one pulling the strings...it makes a lot more sense that a chaotic entity is doing all this, as opposed to a benevolent deity), but faith in my interpretations of people...of how they will react to things, and faith in my own experiences, both the good and the bad.
But I must always, always remember...there are different viewpoints, different takes on situations...different realities, if you will...and that others have a right to think the way they will. The point where I draw the line is when those other realities are harmful to others. Everyone's reality can be harmful to themself. Even mine. But when my reality is causing harm to others? That's where it needs to be examined.
We are led, a lot of times, to believe that anything that is different than what "we" believe is wrong.
Which tends to be a crock o' shit.
My way of viewing the world works for me. There are others it works for, but not all.
I've learned to trust my instincts, in many cases. In fact, in the past, some of the worst mistakes I've made have been when I've not trusted my instincts.
For others, instincts are unfathomable, or impractical, at least for their lives. They take in all information, all facts, and then use that to guide their decisions.
I like to think that works, too. I know that in my case, my instincts tend to be an amalgamation of ALL the data I've accumulated before, and that it helps me analyze my instincts, sometimes much quicker than I would give credit to. My "gut feeling" as it were.
One of the things I've grown to love is my ability to perceive how people will react to things. Add in that my brain tends to plot out all the given variables that can happen, and you've got a brain that can feel...crazy, at times.
My father used to say "Probability and Outcome", what are the varied probabilities that a course of action will engender, and what are the outcomes...and are you willing to deal with a potential outcome.
Yeah, it is fairly accurate..it doesn't always work in practice, as we rarely think out to the Nth degree the possible ramifications of any course of action.
The title of this post was partially inspired by the show Lost. There are almost always 2 sides in this battle...the Man of Science, who believes in rationality..and the Man of Faith, who believes in something bigger, something less well defined.
In this case, I almost always fall onto the side of the Man of Faith. Not faith in a deity (unless you count Loki, who I think is the one pulling the strings...it makes a lot more sense that a chaotic entity is doing all this, as opposed to a benevolent deity), but faith in my interpretations of people...of how they will react to things, and faith in my own experiences, both the good and the bad.
But I must always, always remember...there are different viewpoints, different takes on situations...different realities, if you will...and that others have a right to think the way they will. The point where I draw the line is when those other realities are harmful to others. Everyone's reality can be harmful to themself. Even mine. But when my reality is causing harm to others? That's where it needs to be examined.
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no subject
Date: 2009-06-16 11:06 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-06-16 11:13 am (UTC)you brought up a good point in that everyone sees things differently. That's why I like having conversations with people, because even though there are people in my life who believe in different things, I do find more similarities than differences.
no subject
Date: 2009-06-16 11:20 am (UTC)My god, I'm not the only one.
Not to bring crazy witchy-stuff into it, but.... A lot of people will tell you that seeing the future only involves crystal balls, taror, et cetera. Though my own personal experience, I've noticed there's a more mundane side to it. Usually this consists of using your collective knowledge of human behaviour to predict what someone is going to do next. I do that ALL the time, usually without meaning to. And it's nice to know I'm not alone ^_^()
The ability to be that aware of things outside yourself also comes in quite handy in general life, too. Especially when you're trying to poke someone into doing the right thing by saying certain things. Yes, manipulating people is bad. However, I don't feel AS bad if I'm goading them into doing something positive for themselves or the greater good.
Anyway, the point of this babbling (sorry, it's early) is perhaps that I see myself as a mix of both? *shrugs*
no subject
Date: 2009-06-16 03:50 pm (UTC)As far as telling the future... I have a theory that "ESP" is really just a conglomoration of all of the things that your brain picks up and analyzes without you realizing it on a conscious level and then when you get tingles or "gut feelings" or even when you read the tarot cards... it's just your subconscious's way of giving you that information for practical reasons.
But yeah, the other stuff? You guys are totally brain twins.
no subject
Date: 2009-06-16 03:59 pm (UTC)I think it's a combination of both, actually. I think that there IS a magical part to it, but that there is also a mundane part that most people overlook. But then there I go trying to put banalnce into everything again. Me and my silly Gemini self ;P
no subject
Date: 2009-06-16 04:03 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-06-24 05:19 am (UTC)No, you're not the only one. Crystal has pondered that my precog ability is tied into how quickly I can see pieces sliding into place, and that it creates a Deja Vu...I'm not so sure of that one, yet...but, it's a possibility. And yes, I can usually predict what others will do..to the point that those I cannot predict at all REALLY bother me..as in, an indescribable feeling.
It DOES help to be able to "push"...which usually is just me having someone else look over their options, and gently pointing out things they hadn't thought of. And yes, I can feel bad if I feel I'm manipulating (which I usually try to double check that I'm not), but it feels like a ragged slope..what is manipulative, and for the greater good?
Nope, definitely not alone in that quirk of how the brain works. :-)
no subject
Date: 2009-06-24 11:25 am (UTC)I know what you mean there, too. I really hate being around people who I can't read. It throws me off balance, it makes me unsure of how to react to or act around them, and just generally screws with my head. And now I know that the next time I have that kind of a problem with someone to just walk the other way. If you've heard AJ mention "The Tumor" at all, I had that problem with her. And we see how THAT worked out :P
no subject
Date: 2009-06-24 02:48 pm (UTC)For that latter one I've called him a walking Aspie detector, lol.
no subject
Date: 2009-06-24 03:41 pm (UTC)Interesting subject
Date: 2009-06-16 03:59 pm (UTC)