Post by Stalker on Sept 8, 2006 19:45:45 GMT -5
Popular beliefs. We know them. We know them because everyone says them. And we take it into our minds as fact. Some are true. But are they true because they are naturally, or because people take myth into themselves and act on it subconsciously?
Case 1- Blacks and Mexicans are more likely to be involved in criminal activity. Fact or myth? Try both. Statistically, it is sad but true. They're between 50 and 65% more likely. But this is also mythical. It is up to the individual to decide what he does, is it not? Do they not have the choice to take a different direction in life? Some might call you a racist for bringing up the statistic, but they must be, in my opinion, taking this social belief in too. People are weak. They need to follow. People like to follow those who they obviously have something in common with, and in this case, and many others, it's race. Individuals make their own decisions, no matter what.
Case 2- Money brings happiness. This applies to almost everything. People are so caught up in this thought (even if they know the saying "money does not bring happiness") that they'll actually try to force their children through school and college to be capable of jobs that will bring them more money, instead of allowing them to take a path that they would have taken themselves. It certainly isn't wrong to make a suggestion, but to push people into things is always wrong. People with high-paying jobs are often very unsatisfied with life because they're not doing what they're really cut out for doing and/or wanted to do in the first place. But people take beliefs in early, and regret them later.
Case 3- Every man has, at the very least, looked at a woman lustfully at least once in his lifetime. The Qu'ran, the Torah, every Bible, Buddhists, and Hell, everybody else says so. So if these books and everyone else says it's true, and every man around you shows you it's true, it must be, right? Wrong. You may call me a liar now, and I'm sure several of you will, but I never have. It seems strange to me. "Why are you such a perv?" can be answered so simply by "I'm a guy." .....So? What's that supposed to mean? You make your own choices in life. You decide who and what you are, like I mentioned earlier. My honest opinion on this is that boys and men hear the stereotype somehow, and than subconsciously act it out and thereby become it. Now I'm sure there's also people reading this who are religious that are angered by me saying something about their beliefs are wrong. There's probably also those saying the writers of those different books were in completely different areas wrote the same thing. I'll talk to the religious fanatics first: If anything, that particular belief gives you a viable excuse to be a sicko, even if it's only in your head. Now to the more educated peeps who brought up geographical separation. People in different countries also developed similar styles of weaponry. Almost every part of the world has some sort of sword, axe, club, knife, staff, and spear. Many of them had bows, and in Asia and Europe both a weapon as complex as the crossbow was developed. So if inventions can be similar in different locations, than it's even easier for me to believe that ideals that are similar can also be created. There's no good reason for men to be more permiscuous than women.
So with that, I'm gonna conclude that popular belief is nothing more than that. Belief. Not fact. Honestly, people believed that Earth was in the center of the galaxy and that it was flat! Today, we know it's not true, in fact ridiculous, but back than it was.....Go ahead and guess......
That's right: Popular Belief
Case 1- Blacks and Mexicans are more likely to be involved in criminal activity. Fact or myth? Try both. Statistically, it is sad but true. They're between 50 and 65% more likely. But this is also mythical. It is up to the individual to decide what he does, is it not? Do they not have the choice to take a different direction in life? Some might call you a racist for bringing up the statistic, but they must be, in my opinion, taking this social belief in too. People are weak. They need to follow. People like to follow those who they obviously have something in common with, and in this case, and many others, it's race. Individuals make their own decisions, no matter what.
Case 2- Money brings happiness. This applies to almost everything. People are so caught up in this thought (even if they know the saying "money does not bring happiness") that they'll actually try to force their children through school and college to be capable of jobs that will bring them more money, instead of allowing them to take a path that they would have taken themselves. It certainly isn't wrong to make a suggestion, but to push people into things is always wrong. People with high-paying jobs are often very unsatisfied with life because they're not doing what they're really cut out for doing and/or wanted to do in the first place. But people take beliefs in early, and regret them later.
Case 3- Every man has, at the very least, looked at a woman lustfully at least once in his lifetime. The Qu'ran, the Torah, every Bible, Buddhists, and Hell, everybody else says so. So if these books and everyone else says it's true, and every man around you shows you it's true, it must be, right? Wrong. You may call me a liar now, and I'm sure several of you will, but I never have. It seems strange to me. "Why are you such a perv?" can be answered so simply by "I'm a guy." .....So? What's that supposed to mean? You make your own choices in life. You decide who and what you are, like I mentioned earlier. My honest opinion on this is that boys and men hear the stereotype somehow, and than subconsciously act it out and thereby become it. Now I'm sure there's also people reading this who are religious that are angered by me saying something about their beliefs are wrong. There's probably also those saying the writers of those different books were in completely different areas wrote the same thing. I'll talk to the religious fanatics first: If anything, that particular belief gives you a viable excuse to be a sicko, even if it's only in your head. Now to the more educated peeps who brought up geographical separation. People in different countries also developed similar styles of weaponry. Almost every part of the world has some sort of sword, axe, club, knife, staff, and spear. Many of them had bows, and in Asia and Europe both a weapon as complex as the crossbow was developed. So if inventions can be similar in different locations, than it's even easier for me to believe that ideals that are similar can also be created. There's no good reason for men to be more permiscuous than women.
So with that, I'm gonna conclude that popular belief is nothing more than that. Belief. Not fact. Honestly, people believed that Earth was in the center of the galaxy and that it was flat! Today, we know it's not true, in fact ridiculous, but back than it was.....Go ahead and guess......
That's right: Popular Belief