Systems Breakdown

It’s been a while since I’ve had anything to really say, but I’ve been musing about a few things lately, so I figured I’ve articulated, I might as well put them up to remind myself ten years from now what I was thinking at the time. Undoubtedly, I’ll find myself ridiculous and sadly confused at the ripe old age of 30 something. Not that I plan on evolving all that much, but fate (or life, rather) will surely dictate that I refine a few of my opinions. That being said, here goes nothing…

I have a theory that we do everything in our lives - make all choices - in order to reduce our anxiety, and that we will often choose the miserable known over the fearful unknown because the unknown makes us more anxious than the detrimental known. I also believe that most of our lives are spent seeking explanation - trying to find our location in space, time, thought and energy.

I suppose the crux of my argument is that religion (or any belief paradigm) is constructed to provide explanation, to provide comfort, to reduce anxiety. We continue with scientific research in order to get explanation, we construct formulas to provide explanation, we try to create pattern in others' behavior to provide explanation...we are seduced by conspiracy theories because they provide pattern and explanation for what is otherwise inexplicable.

I'm sure we could apply systems theory to pretty much everything in life. That's what seems to make it so difficult...everything is connected, linked, related. Makes it utterly impossible to take a firm position on anything anymore.

When it comes down to it, most people I discuss this with don’t particularly embrace my notions about what a comfortable state of understanding is. Seems that most people want, need, crave comfort (in terms of a belief system), and I’m okay with knowing, with limbo, with the possibility that comes along with not being tied down to one concrete belief.