The Certainty Epidemic
We live in a culture of certainty. In my moments of deeper self-loathing, I grow increasingly weary with what I see as my personal struggle against a desire to “be certain.” A friend of mine likes to say about herself: “I suffer from being frequently wrong, but never in doubt.” I can relate. I am extremely aware of how limiting such a perspective can be, as it shuts down our ability to entertain the expansiveness which might exist just outside our “realm of possibility.” In short, it blocks learning, creativity, and freedom.
Needless to say, my interest was piqued by this article I found today on Salon.com - an excerpt, actually, from a new book called “Being Certain” by Robert Burton, M.D. Burton talks about some of the complexities behind our “certainty epidemic” and offers a few wise suggestions about how we might learn to approach the world with less conviction and more tolerance.
I gotta say, this blew me over. Great find and thanks for passing it along. I’m one who has many opinions, and - probably all too - rarely do I say “I don’t know.” As humans, however, we can never be “certain,” only, perhaps, sure of ourselves.
Posted by Mark on 03.01.08.