I've been having this conversation with a few people lately so I figured I might as well cover it.
Election is right around the corner (don't leave yet, this is not a politics post) so naturally, it's on everyone's mind. And it's something that had reminded me what my life has been like. Everyone wants to know who you're voting for, what you believe in, and what political party you associate with, blah blah blah.
Here's what I have to say about that.
I grew up going to a private Christian school my whole life. So, if you ask me my beliefs, my values, my political association, I will immediately spit out what was drilled into my brain since I was five. I'll leave you to imagine what that is.
But since leaving my school and getting out into the real world, I realize that it's time to form my own opinion and generate my own beliefs and values. However, I haven't put in the time to have that knowledge. Therefore, it is not my place to be having those conversations because I can't offer anything useful to them. I can tell you I believe in x, y, and z but I can't tell you why because I don't know why. It's just what I've been told since I was a toddler.
From a very young age we are taught to believe what our parents believe, which isn't a bad thing necessarily. But it leaves us simply repeating what has been told to us our entire lives. It keeps us from forming our own opinions.
It's the same thing with conspiracies. I can tell you I don't believe in them but I can't tell you why. It's just what I've been told to believe. I don't put in the effort and research to be able to have educational conversations about conspiracies, politics, etc. so why should I even have those conversations? I'll let you say your peace, I'll listen to it but I'm not going to criticize it because I have no right to do that.
I think it's so important for kids to get out in the real world, away from their parents, where they can start their lives as their own individuals, make their own decisions, form their own opinions; whatever that may be.
I don't believe there's a wrong answer to any of these topics, but I do think it's wrong to sit there and spit what you've been told all your life with no real explanation to back it up. I think to just go along with what's been drilled into your brain all your life is doing yourself an injustice.
So what's it gonna be? A leader or a follower?
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