Facing Reality

1)    Delusion as refuge

Some people would rather live in a mental world, where their held thoughts remain true rather than accept that what they thought was wrong and theirs did not come true.

1)     Refusal to accept fallibility

Problem starts with the assumption that one cannot be wrong, that one has clearly thought out all possible outcomes. This way of thinking leaves one no room for retreat, in case of error of judgment, hence the imminent total defeat.

1)      Two solutions

To not accepting facts

Retreat in isolation

One adopted option is to shut oneself up from the "out there", assuming that the whole world has turned against one.

Justifying defeat

Coming up with conspiracy theories; how the whole world conspired against ones held position just to defeat a group/person.

2)    Facts are emotionless

Facts are facts, they are not concerned with the intensity of your emotions.

1)     The refusal hurt

If you are not prepared to face the facts, whether they are to your liking or not, be prepared for the hurt.

1)      Responsibility for hurt

Ask yourself; who is responsible for the hurt you are feeling, the injured pride? Well, it is you who have caused yourself the pain, your strong, irrational emotional attachments, your refusal to let go, your over blown expectations. It is you who are hurting yourself, no other.

3)    Accepting reality

1)     Step 1 : Accept facts

Whatever the reasons, the facts are facts. Your emotional energy is not going to change it. Jumping up and down is only going to tire you.

2)     Step 2 : Think

Now that you have cooled down, sit and think.

1)      Why you failed to predict the direction the wind was to blow?

Zoom out

Can you zoom out? Can you see the larger picture? For if you do, you may observe that there are other groups too, that the herd is really made up of smaller units. That your view of your local herd is blinding you to observing the activities of the other groups that the larger herd is made of. You failed because you failed to add the numbers from the other herd groups. Your herd group cornered you, you went along and later started believing the planet for the universe. Thus the error of judgment.

The bias viruses

Are you prone to catching the bias viruses that others are carrying? Meaning do you have immunity to other peoples thoughts. Can you quarantine the incoming traffic, scan them, and inspect them, before letting them in.

Herd resistance

Can you resist the urge to go follow the urge? Can take the fear of isolation. Can you detach yourself from the crowd and watch, observe, and reflect upon the crowd activities, from an elevated position?

2)      Not only why you (your predictions) failed but why the facts turned out the way they did.

3)     Step 3 : Review

1)      Change your thinking model

You failed to predict the right outcomes. Accept that and instead of trying to twist reality to fit your wrong model, restructure your thinking model to fit scenarios like these ones.

2)      Adopt scientific method

Leave room for fallibility. It theories don't fit the facts, it’s the theories that failed to predict the facts, that get thrown out, and not the other way round. Be scientific in your thinking approach.