𒀭Aco 🍝 on Nostr: It’s only natural. And while it could be called bad critical thinking, it’s hard ...

It’s only natural. And while it could be called bad critical thinking, it’s hard to say that when the average person wouldn’t even acknowledge what you said. But the fact is that, what motivates humans is often more important than the truth, at least on an individual level.

An example: I don’t agree with anarchists. I think that the anarchist perspective is overly reductive, and is largely charged by historical and personal trauma. But the fact is, what anarchists want is ultimately something that, in its pursuit, the world will benefit from. That’s why I have a dumb spaghetti emote in my name. Because whether Spag🍝 (npub17rk…2m3p) is serious and intends to make something of this, is just playing around, or a little bit of both, I want to give power to that. And ultimately, the person who makes progress in anarchism is going to be someone who truly believes in it. Even if anarchism turns out to be the wrong system to go for, its pursuit has done good, and I believe it will continue to do good.

Another example: Radical feminism rejects men as being part of the solution. I will never be a radical feminist. I will never agree with radical feminists. And I would even say that their work is starting to do as much harm as good. But the fact is that radical feminism has paved the way for mountains of feminist research and theory that would not have otherwise been done. So I am glad that radical feminism exists. Even if radical feminism turns out to be wrong, its pursuit has been good.

I believe that, ultimately, the truth is what must dictate our decisions as humanity. But the fact is that, if no one is motivated to act on those decisions, then those decisions do not matter, and that itself is a truth which must be acted upon. So if this is what motivates you—if this is what gets you to move forward—I am happy to have you (seemingly) allied with me.

I will challenge you on this, however: When the dark possibility confronts you, one which may very well be true but which threatens to upturn everything you’ve fought for, how do you respond?

The average person of wisdom will say, “You know, maybe you’re right. I don’t know what to do any more.” And they will freeze, often turning around or staying idle indefinitely. They live, but they lose their chance to make a difference. Their wisdom has saved them, but it has doomed their cause. It is a selfish success, but all their understanding has done is made them act the coward.

The average fool will say “No, you’re wrong! I won’t give up, you’re saying lies!” And they will charge in, in denial, often to their death. But this is not true resolve. It is lying to oneself as a crutch. An inability to accept reality being covered over by willful ignorance. And this blindness will more often than not lead them to waste their lives on something they should have known would not work.

What I represent is a third path, and one which, perhaps, you could learn to take. I feel like you’re so close already; you are a wise man who sees the risk, yet you still run in blindly hoping that risk isn’t real. I would ask you to take pride in charging forward, with your eyes unclouded; Accept that it may be true, and speak the response of true resolve:

“Maybe—but still.”