Do not choose to be fooled

THE EDITOR: Danish philosopher Soren Kierkegaard (1813-1855) once questioned love. It was in this context that he wrote, “There are two ways to be fooled. One is to believe what isn’t true. The other is to refuse to believe what is true.”

What do love and politics have in common? They can both blind us. If we allow it, we can be fooled by both as they are similarly based on trust.

Now there is likely some defence to anyone of us believing what is not true. Trusting someone who is a mastermind at deception is hardly one’s own fault.

Sometimes there is simply no evidence of the truth available. At other times, acknowledging what the truth is may have consequences of which we are simply afraid to deal with. Using these defences does not, however, change the fact that we are being told something that is not true.

On the other hand, if we refuse to believe something which in the light of evidence is convincingly true, we have no defence. There is another more recent saying used right here in sweet TT that may be of some assistance to this category of fool. “If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it must be a duck”

How can we lessen our chances of being fooled? We search for evidence, facts and reliable sources of information which provide insight to help us establish an informed opinion. We critically analyse information and explanations offered to us. We weigh that information and discuss the subject with others who have also armed their minds with reliable and relevant information. We ask pertinent questions.

If we do not choose to inform ourselves, to investigate and to research, then we are choosing to be fooled.

SHALIZA WALLACE

via e-mail