A Book...Don't Believe Everything You Think.

[blithe spirit]

I’ve been reading this book I found interesting and thought I would share some. I found some excerpts on Amazon  which makes it nice to share.

 

The 6 Basic Mistakes We Make in Thinking….this is the author’s premise

 

We prefer stories to statistics

We seek to confirm not to question our ideas

We rarely appreciate the role of chance and coincidence in shaping events

We tend to oversimplify our thinking

Our memories are often inaccurate

   I’ve been curious as to why even though our knowledge of science has increase phenomenally, our beliefs really haven’t….and the part that the media plays in fostering beliefs that are not based on fact and have even been proved to be not factual. It has to do with the way we think.

I found these statistics interesting…

Percent of People Holding Various Beliefs

41% extrasensory perception

37% houses can be haunted

42% people are sometimes possessed by the devil

31% telepathy or communications between minds without the five senses

24% extraterrestrial beings have visited the earth

26% clairvoyance or perceiving things not present to the senses

21% people can communicate with the dead

25% astrology

20% reincarnation

 

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ISBN=1591024080/roberttoddcarrolA/

 

Anybody willing to share beliefs about any of this stuff and share why? Wonder if it would correspond with any the reasons the author mentions….

[Shadowman]

    A good topic. I will not publicly admit to consciously subcribing to any of the things listed except possibly for: "26% clairvoyance or perceiving things not present to the senses".   Does feeling a "weakening in the force" count?

    Statistics are usually for a specific purpose and more often than not misused. And sometimes a story can convey something better (depending on the person).  I like stories that convey something, but not anedoctal accounts such as one of those testimony type advertisements where someone says they used a certain product that cured their allergies, gave them more stamina, and improved their mental accuity (aka almost all ginseng, natural products, etc. ). And all of things listed are statistics. Beliefs form early and change slowly usually. If someone's beliefs change quickly, it is usually seen as a sign of something to watch. One day they take up a strick regimen of exercise, strange diet, drugs, take up religion, or start listening to Glen Beck.

    Extrasensory perception, if that existed I would not have had to express all this in print. Communication with the dead, hell, I would be happy to be able to communicate with the living.

[blithe spirit]

a weakening in the force means you have to put on your tin foil hat...can't be too careful these days...

[Lifesighs]

You can put me in the reincarnation group, not because I believe it but because I want it to be true which proves your point.

[Lifesighs]

But you're the Chief, aren't you in charge of knowing? I'm pulling your chain in case you think I'm picking on you.

[crestofwaves]

I totally believe in ESP and that ETs have already visited the earth.  Clairvoyance, yes, reincarnation, yes.  I was regressed and the image was so clear that I believe the soul goes on.  The soul is too important to live just one life. And our brain is just a lot of electrical energy, so why not ESP and clairvoyance?  We can't harness all the electical energy in the air.  Think of electric sparks and hair static.  Our brain waves could be floating around as well.  Why not?

 

Of course, I just came off a twelve hour car ride from SC to NJ, so my brain is a little dotty right now. 

[frenchy]

We prefer stories to statistics

probably true . but then stats by themselves sometimes ain't enough 

We seek to confirm not to question our ideas

again probably true .. but i know how i am and sometimes when i'm seekin somethin i can be turned around if the facts point me another way 

We rarely appreciate the role of chance and coincidence in shaping events

that may be true for some but i always think how the little things make all the difference .. case in point .. i'm here because of a little dachshund .. how so ?? my mom had a little dog and my dad stepped on it by accident and thats how they met .. if she didn't have that dog i wouldn't be here now.. i think of little things like that all the time ..

 

We tend to oversimplify our thinking

again probably true .. i think its because it makes it easier to understand the better we can break it down .. but things can't always be simplified and therin lies the rub .. 

Our memories are often inaccurate

again true .. i often think i remembered somethin one way only to find out i was mistaken . so much goin on in my head all at once i can get 2 seperate things entwined and somehow in my memory they're connected when in fact they're not .. 

and i don't believe in anything on your statistical list except to say that i do know someone that at times it seems like we can read each others minds .. probably not true .. but it sure seems like it sometimes ..