Nothing annoys me more than a Catholic who believes in abortion, an environmentalist who doesn’t conserve, or a comedian who isn’t funny. If you are going to believe something or be someone than you should do it. It comes down to an issue of integrity. If you believe it, practice it.

The other side of this coin are the fundamentalists. They believe in their ideas no matter what evidence proves that they are wrong. The slippery slope for them is really just a stairway to heaven.

I believe that if people say they believe something they should practice it to the fullest. They SHOULD try to convert the unconverted because if you believe your values are “the right ones” then it makes sense to spread the gospel. The problem arises though once the consequences of your belief become apparent. Do you keep on believing what you are believing despite evidence that proves it doesn’t achieve it’s intended goal and can actually cause harm to yourself and others? Sometimes we get so invested in our opinions and beliefs that anything that suggests we are wrong creates cognitive dissonance.

That is why I believe in the scientific method should apply to values. You have your hypothesis of what works best, you test it in the lab of life and read about others who are testing it to. If it works and achieves its intended goal, then great. If not, come back to the drawing board! Change. Be Pragmatic. Adapt. But whatever you choose to replace it with believe it and practice it with all your might. Only then can you really see if your values and beliefs are the right ones.

As a side note, some say that you shouldn’t press your beliefs and values onto others. What a crock. We do that every single day whether we are conscious about it or not. We do it by who we elect to represent us, we do it by what we say or do not say, we do it by what we write, wear, and associate with. If you interact with people chances are that they are influencing you and you are influencing them. As my a boss of mine once said, “you either write your agenda, or someone will write it for you.” This is so true. Television, books, music friends have all shaped your values so how can one say that people should keep their beliefs to yourselves? If it wasn’t for people pressing their beliefs in the first place that person wouldn’t have any values to keep to themselves in the first place. The elites, the popular, and the powerful are all trying to get us to cherish their values or the values that will improve their situation. It’s time that you do the same. Trying to get others to buy into your beliefs is not bad or immoral. It’s the ultimate test and the right thing to do if you really believe your beliefs are the best. Again, if evidence shows otherwise then be prepared to change, be pragmatic, and above all, use the scientif method!

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