13 Knowledge: Science vs. Mysticism

<p style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Knowledge can come from facts or it can be fictional. It can derive from science which is based on facts, or mysticism which is based on nothing. Science is belief in things that can be proven while mysticism is the belief in things that can't. Viewed in the harsh light of healthy skepticism, the hold mysticism has on people seems irrational, but humans are nothing if not gullible, and they can be programmed relatively easily, as proven by the success of propaganda. Indoctrination, especially while young, is almost impossible to break, which is why something as nonsensical as religion is still so popular in America: trusted parents start telling their impressionable children that an invisible man lives in the sky, listens to their thoughts, grants their wishes, and comforts them when they die.<br /><br />Pop culture is also infiltrated with a litany of mystical beliefs in important fields like medicine & history. For example, quack remedies are everywhere and there was never an arc. There's also unhealthy thinking manifested as conspiracy theories, like 9/11 was committed by the Government, or the moon landing was a hoax. Deceit within the ranks of science is also common, and every supposed discovery must be tested and retested to ensure that the new knowledge is valid. View all new information with a large dose of skepticism, and only add it to your personal knowledge base when science proves it.</p>