Who Let the Dogs Out?

art of encore living personal development tga Mar 13, 2023
Scott Perry Promoting a Blog Post About the Antidote to Dogmatism (Curiosity & Consideration)

What are you certain about?

Are you absolutely sure about that?

I mean, really, really, absolutely certain.

It’s said that in this world, nothing can be said to be certain except death and taxes.

But even those absolutes appear to be challenged these days.

So, if there is nothing, or almost nothing, about which we can be absolutely sure, why do we see so much certainty in the world?

And why are those with the most outrageous certainties rewarded with fame and fortune?

Turns out that we are hardwired by biology and evolution to believe what we believe.

Beliefs are the building blocks of identity.

And to protect and promote our identity, we seek out others who share our beliefs.

Because belonging not only fuels our need for significance but makes us feel safe.

This creates an unhealthy echo chamber and identity trap where we all believe what we believe simply because we believe it.

False certainties fully “confirmed,” we throw rocks (metaphorical and actual) at anyone who doesn’t believe what we believe.

This is also known as dogmatism.

Sure, we’re just doing what humans do. 

But we’re also encouraging and emboldening a dynamic of dogmatism that not only undermines our thriving and happiness but threatens our very existence.

What to do?

The antidotes to the hubris of our dogmatic thinking are curiosity and consideration.

It’s time we reigned the dogs back in and asked ourselves some hard questions.

What are the unconscious and subconscious beliefs you cling to for the sake of identity and belonging?

Are those beliefs true?

Are they absolutely true?

Are they really, really, absolutely true (based on actual, verifiable facts held up for scrutiny and testing)?

Is it possible that multiple realities could be equally valid?

If my belief opposes yours, does that have to mean that one or the other is wrong?

Isn’t it possible that both are incorrect (or in need of correction)?

What if, just for today, you and I held our assumptions a bit more loosely and instead held them up as assertions to be tested?

Might we arrive at beliefs that are a little less unhealthy and fragile and a bit more robust and resilient?


Scott Perry, Encore Life Coach at Creative on Purpose

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