Beliefs and Worldviews

Background Beliefs and Worldviews

Everyone has background beliefs that act as a lens through which they view the world.
Sources of background beliefs:
- Family
- Friends
- Coworkers
- Religious upbringing
- Culture
- Politics
- Media
- Personal experiences
These beliefs are often intrinsic and influence our responses.
Background beliefs shape our worldview.

Worldview: How you perceive the world.
Perspective matters; people can interpret the same thing differently.
Example: The number perceived as either a six or a nine depending on the viewing angle.
This explains why people are entrenched in their beliefs.

Matters of Fact
- Can be verified with relevant data.
- Objective (no slant or bias).
- Example: The score of a basketball game (e.g., 118 to 115).
Matters of Value
- Not easily resolved; based on opinion.
- Subjective (contains slant or bias).
- Statistics can be twisted to fit opinions.
- Worldview influences these opinions.
- Vary from person to person.
- Example: "Michael Jordan is the best basketball player of all time."

People often reject information that conflicts with their background beliefs.
Even factual information may be rationalized away if it threatens one's worldview.
Some individuals will double down on their beliefs even when faced with contradictory facts.
Our worldview influences decisions like:
- Where to shop.
- What to eat.
- Who to associate with.
- What movies to watch.
- How to vote.
Rejecting information due to entrenched beliefs is dangerous.
It’s crucial to examine your beliefs and identify biases.

Quote: "Looking at the man in the mirror."
We must examine our worldview to objectively consider new information.
Many background beliefs are instilled in us during childhood.
As adults, we need to analyze why we think the way we do.
Weed out ideas based on little or false information using good sources.
Ask yourself, "Why do I believe this?"
If the answer is "I don't know," "My parents told me," "It’s always been that way," or "I saw it on social media," further examination is needed.
Not all beliefs are wrong, but we should not be blind to why we hold them.
Research issues thoroughly to have strong beliefs based on unbiased viewpoints.