Of all the beliefs you have, which ones would be the most disturbing to give up if you found that it wasn’t true?
This was the question that a mentor asked me recently. His question was triggered by the book, Why We Believe What We Believe: Uncovering Our Biological Need for Meaning, Spirituality, and Truth. He went on to tell me about the four ways that our beliefs are formed. Here’s my limited understanding:
- Perception. I can touch and feel and see the chair in front of me. Therefore, I believe it’s real.
- Cognition. I’ve created in my mind what is true. I believe Sam is trustworthy and Mary is not.
- Social consensus. The social group that we belong to reinforces what’s "true." My mother said when I was young, "Never show your feelings." I believed this was the way to operate in the world.
- Emotional value. I have an emotional need to believe what I believe. I believe my children will outlive me.
BTW–I answered the question above based on beliefs formed through cognition and emotional value. One had something to do with the belief that learning is a good thing and the other had to do with being loved by my family.
Posted in The Personal Journey