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You Are Not Your Beliefs
Let’s keep ideology and identity separate
You are not your beliefs and opinions.
This used to be common sense. Unfortunately, what was once called common sense has become all too uncommon in this day and age.
Too many people today conflate what they believe with who they are. As a result, when they feel their ideology questioned or threatened, they take it as a personal attack on their very identity.
Beliefs and ideas are supposed to be challenged. How else will we learn? How else will we grow?
“Don’t tie your self-worth to your ideas; be open to learning and growing. When you start to see your ideas as part of who you are, it becomes harder to change them and thus harder to grow.” — Brené Brown
Conflating your beliefs with your identity (and then doggedly defending your beliefs accordingly) doesn’t just sabotage your emotional and intellectual growth. It also harms society overall.
Societies can’t move forward if we aren’t open to correction or to new information or insights.
“What is needed, if we’re to grow up as a species, is a kind…
