Defining Beliefs (Revised 2022)

I'm overdue to reevaluate my list of defining beliefs. For those who don't know, my list of defining beliefs is a series of statements that I have been maintaining to try to explain my belief system. I try to periodically update this list, and I have decided that I want this list to consist of ten items.

Let me start this project by sharing my last version of this list.

1. We should all strive to evolve as individuals.
2. The ability and desire to think for ourselves is more important than knowledge, which can never be certain.
3. It is better to be a good person than appear to be a good person.
4. Neutrality is impossible.
5. Embracing individualism is vital to maximizing our collective abilities.
6. If you act responsibly, you will be the biggest expert on your educational needs and how to accommodate your natural desire to learn.
7. We should try to leave this world a better place than we found it, or at least leave the world a better place than if we never existed.
8. Anything subjective in nature cannot be measured in a truly accurate and objective manner.
9. Those who want to learn should be allowed to do so with as little restriction as possible.
10. We can't change the past, but we have a responsibility to improve the future.

Next, I'm going to go one by one to look for potential changes.

1. We should all strive to evolve as individuals.

There might be an opportunity to merge this one with number 5. In addition to merging these beliefs, I wanted to expand a little to include support for mental diversity.

For society to progress, we should strive to evolve as individuals with unique strengths and diverse viewpoints.

2. The ability and desire to think for ourselves is more important than knowledge, which can never be certain.

This is a little wordy. When I first wrote it, I tried to merge two related ideas that might have been too different. If I can merge beliefs about individualism, I could potentially split this. I might start by simplifying the first part:

We need to put thought above knowledge.

The second part has previous been portrayed as a belief that true knowledge does not exist. I frequently combine that with an explanation. That explanation might be a better fit for this project:

There is always a way that you can be wrong.

3. It is better to be a good person than appear to be a good person.

There might be ways to consolidate this with other beliefs, but I think I will keep it as is for now.

4. Neutrality is impossible

I think I'm going to shift to how I can explain this belief:

Bias is a part of human nature that can be addressed to an extent but never eliminated.

5. Embracing individualism is vital to maximizing our collective abilities.

As I have already mentioned, I see room for consolidation. Go back to belief number one for more information.

6. If you act responsibly, you will be the biggest expert on your educational needs and how to accommodate your natural desire to learn.

This might be too narrow. I have decided to broaden and reword it:

Ideally, you should be the biggest expert on who you are and what you need.

7. We should try to leave this world a better place than we found it or at least leave the world a better place than if we never existed.

I use this to explain how I view success. For now, I will keep it as is.

8. Anything subjective in nature cannot be measured in a truly accurate and objective manner.

It may be possible to combine this with my belief about bias, but the combination could be awkward. I think this works on its own, and I think I will leave it as is.

9. Those who want to learn should be allowed to do so with as little restriction as possible.

This belief was created to summarize my educational beliefs. I frequently use these exact words. I don't think it would be a good idea to change this belief at this time.

10. We can't change the past, but we have a responsibility to improve the future.

I have decided to reword this one to better reflect how I typically say things:

The future is more valuable than the present, and the present is more valuable than the past.

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I have decided that I want to keep my beliefs in the same order when possible. These changes include a lump and a split. The split will take over one of my beliefs that was merged with another.

1. For society to progress, we should strive to evolve as individuals with unique strengths and diverse viewpoints.
2. We need to put thought above knowledge.
3. It is better to be a good person than appear to be a good person.
4. Bias is a part of human nature that can be addressed to an extent but never eliminated.
5. There is always a way that you can be wrong.
6. Ideally, you should be the biggest expert on who you are and what you need.
7. We should try to leave this world a better place than we found it or at least leave the world a better place than if we never existed.
8. Anything subjective in nature cannot be measured in a truly accurate and objective manner.
9. Those who want to learn should be allowed to do so with as little restriction as possible.
10. The future is more valuable than the present, and the present is more valuable than the past.

I might write some posts to further explain some of these beliefs, particularly those that have been updated.