It's interesting how some people "feel" and "know" whatever their gut tells them. Some are making the outcry that Michael Jackson is clearly a child molester. Whether he was acquitted or not makes no difference to them. Some are like that as Witnesses too. They just "know" and "feel" it's gotta be the "truth". They will ignore any evidence that doesn't fit their way of thinking. People will believe whatever they want to believe, I guess.
Just Because You "Feel" Something Is True Doesn't Make It So
by minimus 42 Replies latest jw friends
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LittleToe
Agreed, though some people take no note of their "gut instinct" at all, and I feel they may be the poorer for it. Often our senses pick up lots of little pieces of information that aren't necessarily overt when taken individually.
I think it's sensible to listen to what your "gut" tells you, but then filter that through rational processes as just one more piece of information that needs weighing with everything else.
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minimus
LT, if your "gut" is usually correct, that's good but a lot of people just base things on feelings---not facts.
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tetrapod.sapien
I think it's sensible to listen to what your "gut" tells you, but then filter that through rational processes as just one more piece of information that needs weighing with everything else.
it's about striking that balance between ancient hunter gatherer instinct, and modern rationality.
however, i still find that too many people are in hunter gatherer mode. LOL, i mean, just because science can't explain something now, doesn't mean we have to fill it with something else, something magical.
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Odrade
I agree with you Min; however, the example is a poor one. MJ's aquittal may simply mean that the prosecution failed to make the case. I do believe it is important to trust your instinct, but there is a huge difference between that and dogged belief in something against all evidence to the contrary just because it "feels" right.
Tetrapod, good point, I'll raise you one. Just because something seems magical now doesn't mean science won't explain it in a few years... -
Gopher
Some are making the outcry that Michael Jackson is clearly a child molester.
We can have suspicions and doubts. But if you and your children don't have to deal with Jackson, then really it's academic. It's good water-cooler conversation. If you had to deal with a suspected molestor directly, then it's not academic any longer.
What was clear in this case was that the prosecution didn't prove its case in regard to this particular incident for which Jackson was tried. The prosecutor has tried to get Jackson for years, and when this chance came he didn't build an airtight case for conviction. His star witnesses either were unbelievable and goofy (like the accuser's mother) or else came to the witness stand speaking good things about Michael (like his ex-wife Debbie Rowe).
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minimus
I've seen people paint all JWs as child molesters too. Or believing that just because you were an elder, you've got an abusive personality. Gut feelings may mean nothing.
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Odrade
Ah, you are talking about delusional feelings, not reasonable gut instinct.
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minimus
If you are delusional, yu'll believe whatever your gut instincts are. If you are simply judgmental, it's easy to do the same!
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Terry
The whole subject of____INSTINCT___is open to question as far as humanity is concerned.
Animals are pre-wired to do thus and so.
Humans? Don't bet on it.
We seem to have a natural fear of falling and a fear of snakes; but, that is about it!
What we call "intuition" or "gut feeling" isn't trustworthy in so many instances.
Why?
Our emotions follow what we have placed a calibrated value upon. In other words, we either consciously decide "This means THIS to me" or, it happens by default when you pick up from your enviornment certain cues. (These cues can be erroneous or folk wisdom or prejudice, superstition or myth.)
If we react strongly to something and we DON'T KNOW why; it is probably the latter. We picked up cues.
Let's face it; we are exposed to an enormous amount of false-information everyday. We are often surrounded by the ill-informed who will repeat anything that sounds mystical, exciting and off-beat.
The whole idea of psychic phenomenon, for example, is presented in the media AS THOUGH IT HAS BEEN CONFIRMED. Nothing of the kind!
You "feel" things because you have set a value on them.
When I say "value", I mean a scale of :
1.HORRIBLE! RUN FOR YOUR LIFE!!
to
10. I LOVE IT! I CRAVE IT! I MUST HAVE IT! GIMME, GIMME, GIMME!
As I said; you either set these values ____deliberately__and consciously; or, the default setting pops in from your family, friends, tv, radio, reading material, the general culture (ethos).
So, NO! You can't trust your "instinct" because you don't have any.