In Western culture, it's commonly considered a sign of intellectual freedom and ability to think about and consider several points of view before advocating a certain one. In our world, it makes sense to debate the pros and cons of various opinions - the good and the bad - before coming to a conclusion.
But consider this - the way the human brain works, in order to evaluate whether something is true or not, you have to, for a moment, believe that is true. This is because our minds contain a model of how the world works. When considering a statement, we evaluate it by adding it to our model and then checking whether the model still seems valid or not. If it seems valid, we accept the statement as true. If it doesn't, we reject it as false.
This means that for an instant, in your worldview, that statement - however ridiculous - is true. And this affects us. The first time you think that thought, it affects you a little. The more you dwell on it, the more it affects you. The better the thought originally fit in your mental model, the stronger its effect on you.
For example - if you keep thinking of how much better your coworker Joe is than you at your job, then even if you don't actively obstruct Joe's work, there will likely come a day when you have the opportunity to hinder him without anyone finding out, and you will take it. Once you take it, hindering Joe in the future will become okay. What was once an immoral thing - something you might never have considered - becomes a real possibility. Additionally, if you are naturally a jealous person, or are in an environment where jealousy is the norm, your mental model will be more accepting of such thoughts, and your progress down this path will be faster.
Therefore, don't just be a vacuum cleaner, absorbing every piece of information that comes your way. Carefully evaluate what pieces of information will guide you towards being the person you want to be. Be a person who thinks good thoughts. Don't expose yourself to wicked ideas unless you have a good, solid framework that will help you discern the right from the wrong. The human brain is like a sponge - wipe it in muck and it becomes dirty. Dip it in clean water and it absorbs the water and even cleans itself. Be careful what you choose to put your brain in - be careful what you think.
But consider this - the way the human brain works, in order to evaluate whether something is true or not, you have to, for a moment, believe that is true. This is because our minds contain a model of how the world works. When considering a statement, we evaluate it by adding it to our model and then checking whether the model still seems valid or not. If it seems valid, we accept the statement as true. If it doesn't, we reject it as false.
This means that for an instant, in your worldview, that statement - however ridiculous - is true. And this affects us. The first time you think that thought, it affects you a little. The more you dwell on it, the more it affects you. The better the thought originally fit in your mental model, the stronger its effect on you.
For example - if you keep thinking of how much better your coworker Joe is than you at your job, then even if you don't actively obstruct Joe's work, there will likely come a day when you have the opportunity to hinder him without anyone finding out, and you will take it. Once you take it, hindering Joe in the future will become okay. What was once an immoral thing - something you might never have considered - becomes a real possibility. Additionally, if you are naturally a jealous person, or are in an environment where jealousy is the norm, your mental model will be more accepting of such thoughts, and your progress down this path will be faster.
Therefore, don't just be a vacuum cleaner, absorbing every piece of information that comes your way. Carefully evaluate what pieces of information will guide you towards being the person you want to be. Be a person who thinks good thoughts. Don't expose yourself to wicked ideas unless you have a good, solid framework that will help you discern the right from the wrong. The human brain is like a sponge - wipe it in muck and it becomes dirty. Dip it in clean water and it absorbs the water and even cleans itself. Be careful what you choose to put your brain in - be careful what you think.
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