Cravings and aversions are mental conditionings recorded in our brain, without
us noticing or authorizing them, that activate automatically in response to
certain stimuli. Known as harmful mental formations in Buddhist terminology, they
generate abnormal needs or threats. Cravings are demanding mental formations
that trigger desires for something we lack. Aversions are rejecting mental
formations that make us wanting less or nothing at all of something we have and
dislike. Whether we are greedy or resentful, the associated cravings and
aversions are fetters that enchain us to suffering.
Cravings and aversions are not the only chains that enslave us. The
adherence to biased opinions is a similar fetter that also shackles us to suffering.
Opinions are the broad range of prejudiced beliefs and bigoted views that lack
backing from positive knowledge. We attach to opinions in a subtle way that
makes them a sort of mental possessions.
As opposed to material goods, nobody can take our opinions away; even
so, we defend them passionately: The more fervent our belief, the harsher our
defense. The problem with opinions—religious, political, racial or sectarian of
any kind—is that they put up a cloud that obscures our understanding, and
alters reason, speech and behavior.
Basic appetites (for food, water or sex) come from biological needs; sound
fears to dangers that may hurt us (guns, predators, disasters, etc.) are neuronal
coded mechanisms that protect our survival. Opinions, on the other hand, do not
satisfy any vital requirement. There is no such thing as a natural opinion that
we develop by genetic design or we acquire as a biological protection. Once a
bias takes over our mind, however, we find interesting any thought that agrees
with our prejudice and we experience aversion to any opinion that contradicts
ours.
In the first case, we somehow crave
for the company of those who share our opinions. In the second one, the holder
of clashing opinions becomes a repulsive person. Since the underrating of our
belief system and the association with anything unpleasant cause us discomfort, our
biased opinions will unavoidably bring us suffering.
Opinionated people cannot recognize their contradictions or fallacies;
their mental framework obfuscates their vision. They consider the color of the
glass through which they see the world as the right one; you cannot explain ‘green’
to somebody who sees only ‘yellow’; his or her reaction will always be: “I do
not understand how you cannot see the yellowness of my point of view.”
Biased opinions are pervasive, harmful mental formations with a negative
impact on the outcome of our thinking. Biased views deteriorate the quality of
our conclusions more destructively than misread information or weak reasoning
resources. Says German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer (parenthesis added): “The discovery of truth is prevented more
effectively, not by the false appearance things present and which mislead into
error(misinformation), not directly by weakness of the reasoning powers (lack
of common sense) but by preconceived opinion, by prejudice”.
When we search for accuracy and reliability, the damaging influence of
wrong data or deficient logic fades when compared with the distortions that
biased views create. A careful review of the proceedings of an evaluation, by
third parties or by the same person who did the analysis, will always detect
any faults in data or logic. This is not so when we reach conclusions based on
or supported by biased views. When this happens, we are unable to either
recognize our own errors or accept third party’s correcting advice. We consider
right only those opinions that coincide with our point of view.
People seldom change opinion; the more biased the opinion, the more
difficult the modification. This resistance is particularly evident in the
arena of religious or political beliefs. It is not so in hard sciences.
Scientific viewpoints change as knowledge progresses and investigators develop
and validate new theories, which outdate previous accepted models.
People with opposing opinions will always have different pictures of the
same reality; they see the world exclusively through the mental eyes of their
own opinions. Unquestionably, biased views, not wrong data or faulty analysis,
are the worst barrier to the truth in any field of knowledge. And what is
worst: Besides leading to suffering, biased views are the roots of fanaticism
and, consequently, violence.
Gustavo Estrada
Author of "Inner Harmony"
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