Cognitive dissonance is something most of us have experienced, but usually it occurs over something which doesn't really mess us up mentally -- such as, I know I shouldn't use plastic because it ends up in oceans. But what am I supposed to do? Looking at the image above causes a bit of distress in me because I want to rectify the images with the descriptions, but can't seem to move the words around in ways which make sense and feel right. I'm pretty sure many people are feeling this dissonance right now concerning things they have been convinced are true. The people I know who thoroughly believe the conspiracy theories they perpetuate as truth are feeling cognitive dissonance to the max! They believe they know things which most people don't know, and they have spent countless hours researching their findings, causing them to believe they are onto something which we "sheeple" don't know about or simply won't accept. The folks I know who believe these things are good people, friends even, and so I have examined my own thoughts deeply, on a regular basis, looking at things from other standpoints and trying my best to ascertain what is indeed going on in our world. My curiosity concerning how we have arrived at this place is so great that I vow to study hard and look for answers within myself, to change how I think about ideas I find offensive, and to go forward in a proactive way to help truth be known. I willingly acknowledge that our government needs restructuring, just as our police and healthcare systems do, but that doesn't mean we need to throw everything out, or throw up our hands in frustration declaring nothing can be done to fix them. There are solutions to every problem, and they begin with me and you. Let's all be gentle with each other and figure out what to do!
“Truth will correct all errors in my mind. What can correct illusions but the truth? And what are errors but illusions that remain unrecognized for what they are? Where truth has entered errors disappear. They merely vanish, leaving not a trace by which to be remembered. They are gone because, without belief, they have no life. And so they disappear to nothingness, returning whence they came. From dust to dust they come and go, for only truth remains.” A Course in Miracles Workbook Lesson 107
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