Liberalism is not Relativism

Relativism is the belief that there is no One Truth. Instead, every group (or perhaps everyone!) has their own truth. My truth is different from your truth. Our truth is different from their truth.

But this is nonsense. You believe something because you think that it is true -- you believe that it accurately describes the world. It sounds trivial but you believe that your beliefs are true, otherwise you'd change your beliefs!

It is easy to prove that we live in the same world because we can interact with each other without traveling to another world.

We all believe different things and each of us may be wrong about our beliefs. In fact, it is logically impossible for all of us to be right since we believe different things about fundamental issues. It is logically impossible for all metaphysical systems to be true since they are contradictory. It is possible that all of them are false. It is possible that one of them is true.

But it is most likely that we will never truly know the answers to life's biggest questions.

I believe in atheism, materialism, environmentalism, liberalism, a mix of socialism and capitalism, some modified form of utilitarianism, and a laughing Stoicism. I believe these because I think they are true.

Liberalism is not Relativism. Relativists reject Truth and embrace multiple truths as the One Truth. Liberals acknowledge that everyone believes their beliefs to be true and they realize the lesson in humility there.

Everyone has stories

Everything exists in four dimensions, and we bring our stories with us wherever we go. I have chosen not to tell my stories in this blog. Interactions change once stories are told. You feel an obligation to agree. You have shared suffering -- literally, compassion -- and this leads to over identifying with their beliefs. You become easily persuaded.

Do not be easily persuaded here. Please disagree. My beliefs do not require your agreement.

Being a liberal means accepting that other people have the right to be wrong.

Happy Imperialism

The cowboy puts a happy face on imperialism. He works the land, breaks horses, drives cattle to slaughter, drinks to violence, kills homosexuals, and oppresses women. He helped con the Indian. He hates blacks. He votes Republican.

But he is only one story in America.

Conservatives in Short Skirts

The Sexy Puritans prove just how easy it is to manipulate men. Ann Coulter wears tight leather -- as does Cindy McCain. Sarah Palin jokes about lipstick and hair. All of them wear very high heels.

Don't think about a pink elephant.

You thought about a pink elephant even though the sentence said otherwise. Now consider that Ann Coulter has written a lot about Bill Clinton's blow jobs. Even though she is strongly condemning his blow jobs, everyone reading long blond hair and short red leather mini skirt Ann Coulter is now thinking about blow jobs. It sells a lot of books.

Infinite Zeros

The Existential Problem: if death takes us all in the end, then life is meaningless and worthless.

The Religious Solution: the hope of eternal life gives this life meaning and value.

But if life itself is worthless, then adding more of it does not make it valuable. An infinity of zeros is still zero.

Instead, consider that life is valuable. There is no need to long for a next life.