The more I think about it, the more I realise how less I understand this word.
this post was submitted on 04 Jul 2025
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Showerthoughts
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A "Showerthought" is a simple term used to describe the thoughts that pop into your head while you're doing everyday things like taking a shower, driving, or just daydreaming. The most popular seem to be lighthearted clever little truths, hidden in daily life.
Here are some examples to inspire your own showerthoughts:
- Both “200” and “160” are 2 minutes in microwave math
- When you’re a kid, you don’t realize you’re also watching your mom and dad grow up.
- More dreams have been destroyed by alarm clocks than anything else
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I think it's weird that people even have beliefs. Belief is a dirty word to me.
I'm inclined to agree.
Belief is a tool for achieving effects; it is not an end in itself. -Peter J. Carroll
Ah quoting. All of the authority with none of the responsibility.
Good writers borrow, great writers steal. -T.S. Elliot
Neither of which is the act of quoting.
On the contrary, quoting is exactly the act of borrowing another's idea, but doing the courtesy of giving credit to the person from whom you borrowed it.
On the contrary
A borrowed idea stands on utility.
A quote stands on authority.
I was definitely not standing on the authority of Elliott, merely making use of his words and crediting him for it, so you are simply wrong.
You are totally standing on that famous name.
I'm laying down actually
Choose another tool.
I believe in science. I believe in justice, equality, and freedom. I believe fascism and capitalism is detrimental to humanity.
I do not believe in ghosts. I do not believe in gods, angels or demons. I don't believe in an afterlife. And I don't believe corporations are people.
I do not believe in doors. Does that mean that I think that they should not exist or that I think that they do not exist? Yes actually!
Because as Terry Pratchett astutely notes in the Hogfather belief is what makes the human society possible. We invented justice, mercy, duty, laws, money etc. They exist only because we believe in them. Some beliefs make the world better, other ones worse, and we should try to emphasize the former and minimize the latter.
Ok. So there's benefit there as long as the believing is controlled.
Is there a general benefit or liability to believing? What do we gain and lose simply by believing, no matter what the belief?
Read the book Sapiens.
Being able to believe in fiction is what allows humanity to function.
Eeeee, interesting. I'll check that out.
They do indeed.
My parents are deeply religious, but have never figured out that it's my siblings and I who actually answer their prayers.
God sent you to them. It was their reward for rubbing their genitals together. Thank you heavenly Father!!
Yeah, of course they do. They literally form the cornerstone of your worldview. If you change someone's beliefs, you change how they see the world. That sounds pretty damn big and important.
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I always liked the line in Dogma about them, don't turn ideas into beliefs, you can change ideas easier than beliefs. Paraphrased and I understand how much it waters down the whole problem but I still thought the idea of it was nice. Listen and be open, you shouldn't always need to be rigid. Though mean there are still ideals I'm rigid about, respect, compassion and such. Though I always thought the idea was you thought about what worked best for everyone not just what people said you should do cause tradition.
Belief isn't inherently bad you can believe in observational facts. It's faith that's dangerous. Any system that requires you to maintain beliefs without observable facts or in the face of negative confirmational facts is a problem.
My dogma defines my in-group, and my in-group can’t be wrong because then that would mean that I am wrong, which I categorically can’t be. And even if I was wrong, then I would no longer be part of my in-group. Therefore, your science and logic and proof must be wrong if it contradicts my dogma.
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