One of the best things that happened for me YEARS ago when trying to process struggles with my own ideas, from wondering if were valid to wondering how might if ever be accepted was to look at historical examples. There are some stunningly tragic stories. And there are a few that helped me much! Where explaining that comfort is useful I think.
Like recently posted yet again about Dr. Ignaz Semmelweis who ended up in an insane asylum where he died after he tried to push medical doctors in his times to wash their hands before treating pregnant women.
In our times we can witness fights over innovation like, I like to note that you have taxi companies fighting hard rather than embracing letting people book and pay for rides using their smartphones. Thankfully less tragic than a man dying so awfully when he was working to save lives, so to me is useful there as well as emotion is maybe more weird.
Also telling we are not so advanced as a species, still. Could put up quite a few examples actually but have seized upon a few that I think are easily shared, easily checked, and hard to challenge.
We humans evolved. For me was something had to accept as an adult as was taught by fundamentalist Christians, and when was a kid learning, what was taught all seemed to make so much sense! Which turns out is good for human community. If everyone questions everything, then human society falls apart.
Is fascinating to consider that like mythologies are no longer taught by most as valid religions in our time, and as science continues to develop and maybe gets taught better, eventually humans will find it remarkable that doubting evolution was a thing.
Questioning everything? Would be hard to get much done. As like will dutifully work at this post which am editing now, after having worked hard to produce. And post updated version, confident others will read! But how do I know? How do I know anyone is ever reading anything I put on the web? Such thoughts can hamper DOING things. And I look at these words, before will go live. What shows is what I let remain. How do I know YOU exist? I imagine you when writing. Check web stats as best can and other things. Trust that the web works like I think it does. Effort made. Words will be put up. Our belief in systems is important.
Still we must constantly question to keep our many varieties of human systems healthy and valid am sure.
Like to think there are those people who DO keep questioning and work to be one myself, though I do not try to question everything. Naturally focus in areas where believe will have much meaning for my life, and have felt greatly rewarded by that questioning. But answers can also bring challenges.
So yeah, you get stories where people can prove things beyond any reasonable doubt, and still face fierce resistance, which only subsides over time. And eventually folks can wonder over things like, how could medical doctors ever have fought fiercely--to not wash their hands before treating people?
Which is a comfort for the discoverers and other innovators. Humanity can be understood. And is not really terrible actually as long as you do not just run into walls. People may throw walls up in front of you, when you can prove you are right, but try not to run into them. Because that will hurt.
Joking a bit, as the point is--can run into resistance which is NOT rational. Which cannot be overcome by rational means by the discoverer. That sentence bothers me. Is it true? What does history reflect?
Historical record indicates that over time the truth wins out.
Like eventually science found out about microbes, and was understood that hand-washing could destroy dangerous ones. And we have an easy to understand explanation of how protects patients--from their doctors, who in the past killed off quite a few by spreading deadly infections.
So took other discoverers. Like research of Louis Pasteur came after Dr. Ignaz Semmelweis.
Will admit as time progresses with my own story recognize how much is shifting rapidly. But does help appreciate the discoverers. People who question much, are important to others like them as well, for that additional reason.
Which to me is useful perspective worth sharing.
James Harris
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