I began to notice an unmistakable trend in how we have been experiencing in the world around us of late. As I observed events and listened to the people who spoke about them I began to develop some clarity in my own weird thought process about how we have come to confuse beliefs with knowledge. In a day when nearly everyone can send our thoughts out into the world, or even effectively spread them around with just the use of our own social networks, the ease with which the difference between knowledge and beliefs becomes muddy and confused, is remarkable. In my observations there are quite a few people out there who see no difference at all between knowledge and beliefs. It has even become an accepted practice with some folks to conflate the two on purpose so as to make the impression that what we believe is factual reality-a most dangerous condition.
I hate to fall back on the old devise of resorting to a dictionary to gain clarity- but is seems necessary in a time when so many around us have loss the simple meaning of words. Again, I'm reminded of the power of words, so it's good to go back to the basics when we find people who throw them around so carelessly. Let's just start with the word: Beliefs. The trusty dictionary defines beliefs as; 1. something believed, 2. confidence in the truth or existence of something not immediately susceptible to rigorous proof, 3. confidence-faith-trust; 4. a religious tenet or tenets- religious creed or faith. I think those are apt definitions of "beliefs". Now let's try Knowledge: 1. The facts, feelings or experiences known by a person or group of people, 2. the state of knowing, 3. awareness- consciousness- or familiarity gained by experience or learning. 4. erudition or informed learning, 5. specific information about a subject. Comparing these definitions it's easy to discern thoughts that are beliefs from those that form real knowledge. I know why some people purposefully use beliefs in the place of knowledge- but I cannot understand why so many of us let them get away with it. These are not hard concepts to grasp, but perhaps we have just been beaten down by the steady drip-drip-drip of nonsense in our media and among the people in our "networks" that it's too much trouble to call bullshit on the tons of it slung our way each day.
I could only shake my head in disgust when I heard the total nonsense coming out of old mayor Rudy Giuliani's mouth last week. He "hated to say it" (of course, he really loved saying it) but he "believed" the President doesn't love America. Now, I'm not sure why anyone cares what Rudy believes- but his belief system started a firestorm of reaction. If you followed the media and it's self-serving need to fan the flame, then you surely saw the multitude of comments start again about how President Obama is a Muslim- how he hates America- how he is a socialist- how he became a communist (at age nine according to Rudy)- about how he is secretly plotting to purposely destroy the country. This is truly the stuff of Belief-land- not at all founded in facts or established knowledge. We know this because it so clearly fits that definition. The comments by Giuliani and those who jump on this bandwagon have dived headfirst into the pool of "... truth or existence of something not immediately susceptible to rigorous proof." Then over the weekend this week's GOP front runner Scott Walker was asked if he believed the President is a Christian. Being the coward he has shown himself to be when asked pointed questions, he said he "didn't know". Here we go again, dog paddling in the pool of beliefs and uninformed innuendo, instead of knowledge. The shame of it is that this passes for news.
When we turn back to the world of knowledge we come to understand that these gutless politicians have knowledge- they just don't want to use it because a belief system, however inaccurate, works better for them politically. The facts are that the President cares deeply for our country- as every President does. He has told his personal story too many times, saying that only America would have allowed a person like him to be President. The right-wing whack jobs may disagree with his policies, but this man was elected easily two times. He has delivered health care to 12 million more Americans than had it before; and because of that my premiums haven't risen like they did when all those uninsured sick people went to the ER on my dime. He got us out of a war everyone wanted out of in 2008, and his work prevented us from going to another Great Depression with nearly five years of steady job growth. I would also contend that any President who has suffered the inexhaustible and calculated disrespect this President has, yet still comes to work each day without throwing hatred back at that who mistreat him, must surely love his country. These are facts. Knowledge tells me what I need to know about this President- not what Mr. Giuliani believes. And as for Scott Walker and the "truthers" - they know he was born in the USA because we have a birth certificate and we know he is a Christian- (even though that is not supposed to be a test for public service in this country). We know because he told us, he showed us, and the evidence is there. They know it too. They sure used that against him when the criticism was all about the time he spent in Reverend Wright's Christian congregation. But let's not let facts get in the way. When it comes to this President the opposition has a whole narrative based on beliefs, and not on facts. Sadly I am convinced by the evidence those narratives are rooted in racism, and the innate fear of "the other" that Mr. Obama represents to the small minded.
I suppose it can fun to let belief systems worm their way into the silliness of politics occasionally. But the problems really start when the "silly season" of politics morphs into the serious time of policies and actions. This is the time when beliefs can be very dangerous and the consequences deadly. Take the case of Oklahoma US Senator Jim Inhofe. Here's an Inhofe quotation from the Congressional Record: "well, actually the Genesis 8:22 that I use in there is that 'as long as the earth remains there will be a springtime and harvest, cold and heat, winter and summer, day and night. My point is, God's still up there. The arrogance of people to think that we, human beings, would be able to change what He is doing in the climate is to me outrageous". Now, the scary part- Senator Inhofe is Chairman of the Senate Committee on the Environment and Public Works. I find it troubling that a man with enormous power to shape public policy on the environment uses his religious belief system instead of established scientific knowledge to guide actions that will have dire consequences for the future of the planet. I find it equally troubling that we allow this to happen. (An interesting side note on Senator Inhofe is that his profound religious convictions about God's plan for the earth are accompanied by $1,352,523 in personal political contributions to him from the oil and gas industry.) Public policy should be guided by knowledge. Our scientific knowledge and understanding of our world is growing at a tremendous rate. It is inexcusable to be governed by beliefs while leaving knowledge on the sidelines.
I won't go into the mountain of evidence and record keeping to support the idea that the climate is changing rapidly due to man's influence on it through the use of fossil fuels. The evidence and accumulated knowledge of mankind on this subject is overwhelming. So, I won't dignify the "deniers" (many of whom are lining their pockets foisting this nonsense on conspiracy nuts and people with a financial or political agendas). If you don't believe it, do your homework- the scientific information is out there. And don't just Google climate change to read political opinion pieces- read the scholarly data. Likewise I won't dignify the folks who make outrageous claims about the President- his birthplace- his religion- his love of country, etc. etc. The facts of his Presidency will be borne out by the facts in the history books- not the ramblings of obstructionist and hacks. I only suggest that our challenge in the next few critical years as an informed electorate, is to wisely chose how we think about things that matter.
Ironically I worry, that in this age of knowledge, we have allowed ourselves to be dumb-downed by the current culture. I worry that our schools have been hijacked by those who believe academic success is measured by the numbers who pass standardized tests instead of judging education systems by the quality and content of an actual education. I note that this downward trend can be traced back to the politics of conservatives who worry too much about the cost of education instead of the long-term costs of a having an uneducated populace. From 1981 until 2009 (28 years) we had twenty (20) years of Republican Presidents who didn't "believe" in high standards and made teachers and their unions the fall guys. We are seeing the results. (coincidentally- this was the same period that marked the decline of the middle-class) When you combine that phenomenon with the proliferation of social networking's promiscuous spreading of bad information based on beliefs, and the failure of the press to pursue truth, the line between knowledge and beliefs has grown ever narrower. Our ability to process the huge amounts of information this new age provides has surely exceeded our ability and wisdom to know the difference between beliefs and knowledge.
The remedy has two parts. One, we must be willing to examine our own thoughts and scrutinize what we see and hear- be willing to challenge everything against the measuring stick of knowledge vs. beliefs. That takes energy and effort- but it can also provide an exciting awakening by looking at the world in new ways; and perhaps make us feel a little less like the sheep the politicians and media play us to be. Two, we need to take responsibility for our children's ability to think properly. Insist that schools return to the days of teaching the lost art of critical thinking-insist that schools teach civics and teach history lessons that tell the whole truth about who we are (warts and all). You may have noticed the latest trends in Boards of Education around the country to eliminate facts in the history books that do not support the political belief systems of conservatives. Those are disturbing events. If schools won't do it then we parents and grandparents must take the time to show our children the value of knowledge and the legitimate ways to find it. Faith and beliefs may have their place, but knowledge will always mark our progress as a people- and must mark the path to our future.
Thanks for looking in.
