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Don't Kill What You Hate Save What You Love

The opinions of others are just as legitimate as yours...no matter how crazy they seem to you.

I've seen the smartest people in the world miss this one. Because lets face it, the smarter you get the more you believe you have it figured out and those [conspiracy theorists/religious people/XXX political figures] clearly don't see the truth like I do. I've put in the work.

I may not be certain what is under the hood of this reality, it could be God, science or stimulation. But the one thing you can be certain about in this reality is that its not this! Something at some level is different than you think it is.

You are always wrong. Its just a matter of how wrong.

So what then can we rely on. 

I can rely on is what I remember working for me in the past. I can remember what his work and repeat it, I can remember what hasn’t worked and I can change it. I can also take the data have gathered and interpolate/extrapolate to predict what will happen when I try something new. And that is life

All you really have at the end of the day and the memories of what has worked for you in the past. The human brain is the ultimate AI, humans are crazy good at data-gathering data processing creating sophisticated models and using those models to predict the future

A lot of people think truth is what can be proved with facts and logic. or if you're a scientist it's what can't be disproven with facts and logic. however facts and logic can easily let you down. logic can be used to prove just about anything whether it's good or evil, whether it's factual or lies. There's an amazing Vsauce video that explains how human logic is so fallible. It talks about how human reasoning evolved not to find the truth but instead it evolved to convince other humans of things regardless of those things being true. Being able to do math did not help a caveman survive, instead the ability to convince a fellow caveman how to coordinate an attack on a herd of bison is helpful.

So what is truth then. I believe truth is the thing that will hold you down when the storms of life hit. What can you lean on that'll keep you anchored to your foundation when your whole life is shook. And for me that is God (and often times my closest family and friends). Life WILL test you, you WILL be shaken. You are going to feel like you're in the tornado in the Wizard of Oz and everything you hold dear is coming loose everything you've thought you relied on is going to taking flight. So when it feels like you might be losing everything what's going to remind you that tomorrow is worth it. What cannot be lost. 

When I was in elementary school I learned something really profound: A guy named Voltaire said 

"I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it."

I thought this was seriously the coolest thing ever (And I still do), like I was so lucky to live in a society where people were that awesome, a world where people would support each other in their pursuit of happiness even when in disagreement. Even if people thought you were flat out wrong factually they would still support even treat you with respect.

But today I don't know if that's true anymore and it makes me kind of sad.

And I see it all around, I see families getting heated arguments over politics, I see people labeling their once good friends as idiots not deserving of respect just because they support a certain political candidate, I see people not respecting a lifestyle because it's a lifestyle they disagree with.

But I think we can turn it around! live and let live, it's that simple.

*It is worth noting the exception to this is if someone is causing direct harm to other people.

One of the biggest things you can do is try to understand people and truly and honestly feel for them; no matter who they are or what they have done. Dedicate a part of your heart just for a moment to their situation, how you would feel there. When a friend messes up don’t pin them against the wall for it, understand w them.

Basic love, respect and empathy must be applied to all humans even when we don't feel like. Even when its the hardest to like when someone wronged us, or committed a terrible crime. 

We cannot give into hate or revenge because "an eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind".  And to be clear this does not mean a lack of justice, if not for justice society would cease to function. This is more about having the right attitude when serving justice. I like to think of the Jedi: Justice should be served with no hate or bitterness. What we don't want is Pitchfork Justice where a mob of angry people filled with rage kill someone they hate.

Being able to maintain basic love, empathy and respect for someone AFTER they do something evil is the toughest. This is when its the hardest to put on those empathy shoes BUT its often when our empathy is needed the most.

Josiah had a great point about college orientation over-focusing on spotting predators and a lack of focus on how to spot yourself becoming a predator. THIS is the empathy we are missing, empathy of the transgressor, not only because it solves the problem at the source but because its the right thing to do!

The ultimate weapon is always forgiveness. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NkoE_GQsbNA

A great man, even through the pain, still does the right thing. https://youtu.be/4AWLcxTGZPA?t=3448

This does not mean telling victims "you must immediately forgive! Shame if you do not!" Quite the opposite... Any victim should be given the love and support AND TIME they need to be angry, be hurt and process what has happened. Its is okay if you never get to a state of full forgiveness, somethings are just really really hard to forgive like the taking of a loved ones life. But it should still be the goal though! If not for the world but for yourself; true freedom from a trauma comes from fully processing and full forgiveness.