This is such an eye-opening and timely article needed in today's highly polarized world.
Indeed conviction without humility can quietly undermine wisdom, and more than ever before, we need to consider the effect of our actions (based on our convictions) on other people with whom we co-exist.
For me, one conviction I've questioned is regarding religion. I belong to a particular faith and used to see myself as superior to others coming from a different one (because I believed mine was the 'only true one'.) But over time, I've come to respect and acknowledge the truthfulness with which others practice theirs and see them beyond some popular sentiments.
If only we all learned to live with humility and respect the beliefs of other people (of course, so far they aren't in any way harmful), then all these needless wars and sorts wouldn't be happening.
Thank you for sharing this piece. I hope so many more people come to find it and benefit from its wisdom.
Victor, thank you for such a candid and self-reflective comment. What you described—the shift from seeing a faith as a marker of 'superiority' to seeing the humanity in how others practice theirs—is the ultimate example of overcoming the Knowledge Illusion.
It takes immense courage to realize that our 'sacred values' can sometimes act as walls rather than bridges. By choosing reasoned humility over tribal certainty, you’ve moved from a binary 'right vs. wrong' mindset to one that acknowledges the complexity of the human experience. As you noted, when we see people beyond the confines of our own beliefs, we stop building monuments to ourselves and start building a world where we can actually coexist. I’m honored that this piece resonated with your journey.
This is such an eye-opening and timely article needed in today's highly polarized world.
Indeed conviction without humility can quietly undermine wisdom, and more than ever before, we need to consider the effect of our actions (based on our convictions) on other people with whom we co-exist.
For me, one conviction I've questioned is regarding religion. I belong to a particular faith and used to see myself as superior to others coming from a different one (because I believed mine was the 'only true one'.) But over time, I've come to respect and acknowledge the truthfulness with which others practice theirs and see them beyond some popular sentiments.
If only we all learned to live with humility and respect the beliefs of other people (of course, so far they aren't in any way harmful), then all these needless wars and sorts wouldn't be happening.
Thank you for sharing this piece. I hope so many more people come to find it and benefit from its wisdom.
Victor, thank you for such a candid and self-reflective comment. What you described—the shift from seeing a faith as a marker of 'superiority' to seeing the humanity in how others practice theirs—is the ultimate example of overcoming the Knowledge Illusion.
It takes immense courage to realize that our 'sacred values' can sometimes act as walls rather than bridges. By choosing reasoned humility over tribal certainty, you’ve moved from a binary 'right vs. wrong' mindset to one that acknowledges the complexity of the human experience. As you noted, when we see people beyond the confines of our own beliefs, we stop building monuments to ourselves and start building a world where we can actually coexist. I’m honored that this piece resonated with your journey.
so interesting!