The Beauty of âI Donât Knowâ
Imagine youâre in an argument with someone, fighting to defend a truth that you hold to be absolute. It could be in regards to religion, politics, your philosophy on life; anything that you deem as important to who you are. Whatever it is, make sure itâs something that you are deeply convinced of. Now, imagine your fellow debater begins digging into your argument, picking apart what you believe piece by piece, and doing it in such an effective way that doubt begins to creep into your mind. Maybe they have a point. Maybe this thing which has held so much meaning for you for so long has some faults that you never realized. Maybe youâre not as right as you thought you were...
Now what kinds of emotions do you feel bubbling to the surface as a result of this hypothetical situation? Are you angry? Upset? Perhaps a little tense? If I had to guess, youâre probably feeling some form of cognitive dissonance. Psychology Today defines cognitive dissonance as occurring when âyour ideas, beliefs, or behaviors contradict each other.â Itâs a remarkably uncomfortable feeling, and unfortunately itâs one that we as humans must face in the outside world if we ever expect to grow. Stay in your own bubble too long and you begin to think everyone else thinks like you. Itâs a dangerous spot to be in.
But why is this so uncomfortable for us? Why is it so difficult and sometimes painful and upsetting for us to take in new information and adjust our views accordingly? Well, as far as we can tell, human beings are the only species on the planet with such a complex array of consciousness and brain power, to the point that we are actually able to question and reflect upon our own existence. As such, we are programmed from birth to want to understand our place in the universe. Outlets such as religion, philosophy, and science allow us pathways with which to do so, but these are all imperfect methods. Science can become outdated in a matter of years given new discoveries, and religion and philosophy can be put in so many different contexts, itâs sometimes impossible to find two identical viewpoints.Â
Thus, we are faced with this dilemma: one person who has found their answer to lifeâs questions, and roughly 7 billion other people whose answers are all at least slightly different. And everybody is so deeply convinced of their viewpoints, getting them to budge can be a monumental task.
This whole situation is a trick of the mind. The ego wants so badly to believe that it matters, it will do whatever it takes to convince you of the apparent seriousness of your situation; the dire importance of understanding your purpose in life. In truth, there is no importance. No matter what you believe, it is a fundamental reality that everyone and everything in the universe is one. Of course, this makes sense in the sort of generic spiritual manner, but even on a physical level, all matter is made up of atoms. When you really break it down, all existence is simply the act of atoms interacting with each other. If you zoom in long enough, it all becomes identical.Â
When viewed through this lens, itâs easier to appreciate life on a simpler level. And it leads to what I feel is the greatest realization of them all: there is an absolute beauty in the phrase, âI donât knowâ. By simply saying those three words, you open up, quite literally, a universe of possibilities for you to explore. I pride myself on the fact that, over the course of my short life (just turned 24), I have tried my hand in philosophies from all around the spectrum. Religiously, Iâve studied and adopted ideas from Christianity, atheism/free-thinkers, Buddhism, and Hinduism, and I only intend to expand more outwardly. Politically, Iâve held views that qualify as conservative, liberal, progressive, socialist, and libertarian. Again, I keep myself open for any other viewpoints which make their way into my daily life.
âI donât knowâ has been my single greatest blessing in this life. Itâs a relief from that tension and agony that can come from clinging so desperately to your beliefs. I hope that you as well can find some hope and comfort in this simplest of philosophies. Iâm not saying you have to give up a belief structure which holds value to you or makes the most sense to you. What I am saying is...be open to new ideas. Be willing to be wrong, and use it as an opportunity to grow and expand your consciousness and your view of the universe.
Most of all, have fun exploring this weird, wacky, wonderful universe that we are so lucky to take part in!
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