I’ve been thinking about paranormal stuff a lot recently. Probably because of all the paranormal podcasts I listen to, the fact that its Halloween soon, and the scary movies I’ve been watching but who knows.
I’m a natural born skeptic. I require evidence to believe anything I don’t already know to be true. Certain people can be convinced of things they never had a reason to believe before but I think most of the time everyone has preconceived notions. In today’s modern society they can find any information they want that reinforces or builds upon those notions. This is probably a net negative for the world given the nature of the anti-intellectual movement that seems to be happening in our country these days. That being said I don’t think its THAT bad.
Belief or faith in religion, paranormal, or cryptozoological (all the same thing to me) stuff can add spice to your life. Maybe it makes you more hopeful or comforts you in some way, who am I to take that away from someone who is wrong. America has among the highest claims of paranormal/UFO sightings in the world as well as a very high instance of conspiracy theory belief. Now does that mean anything in a country that ranks as high as 14th in education!? Who knows!?
I know that the Earth isn’t flat and that lizard people don’t run the world. Now I know these things because there is clear evidence of one and the other is wacky comic book nonsense but should it bother me that there are people who would argue with me till they are red in the face? Has the world ever been changed or held hostage by people who believe in made up nonsense? I guess I’m just annoyed by willful ignorance.
That is probably unfair though. We live in a world where the majority of the most intelligent beings on it worship things they have never seen, heard, or felt in any physical way. Going from that to belief in the paranormal is not that big of a leap and the science I rely on to guide what I know has certainly been wrong in the past and most definitely doesn’t know everything…yet.
I’m biased for sure and I have my reasons for being a bit bitter about it. That being said I truly believe everyone has the right to think and feel however they want about whatever they want. Its not my place to correct or take away from something that someone uses to help themselves make sense of the world or make the world a more colorful and worthwhile place. The biggest compliment to religion or anything of that ilk is that sometimes I genuinely wish I could believe in that kind of stuff. But I can’t. Its not a switch you can flip, on or off. I am a natural born skeptic and I always will be.
Wont stop me from watching Halloween movies though. That stuff is great.
The New Sage 