Why you should question everyone

and everything

Hello,

There is so much going on in this world currently. America has a new president, there are lockdowns everywhere, climate change seems not as a big topic anymore, etc. I currently write about this Pain in another article. In the last few weeks, I have noticed how more and more people are getting together for an ice bath. I find it is an amazingly "easy" way to ensure clear thoughts and better health. It also reminded me of how we can become healthier through simple and different methods. Without a pill, therapy, or anything else. I know I am not a simple character, but the next few lines will either make you question a lot of things in your life, or question me. Both are perfectly fine.

In our dynamic universe, all things change, from the remotest corners of space to the movement of the continents. Change takes place in both living and non-living systems. The history of civilization is the history of change from the simple to the complex. Human ingenuity and inventiveness are examples of this fact. No system can remain static for long. Unfortunately, changes are not always for the best. Although we accept the inevitability of change, people also face change with considerable resistance. Those responsible, whether religious, military, socialist, capitalist, communist, or tribal, will try to hold back change because it threatens their control.

Even the oppressed may support a system and the status quo because it is known and familiar. No matter how oppressive the environment, the familiar is a comfort.

Human civilization is no exception to this process of change. Change takes place in all social systems and is the only constant. The history of humanity is a history of change, brought about either by natural circumstances or by human intervention.

Technology influences the most remote regions of the world almost as fast as it develops. It is constantly being accelerated by new technologies. We lack the ability to absorb and accurately process information. Who do we trust and when? I started to write these articles as a kind of thought, chapters that will eventually be found as a whole. Let's start with…

Old Thinkers are not always right

When it comes to taking a skeptical stance, now is better than soon. Don't be late when you board this train. Get into the habit of thinking more critically about strange claims and beliefs immediately. From now on, ask questions and demand proof before you allow yourself to accept something unusual or important as true. It does not matter to be young. Life is no less valuable and precious in the early phase than in the middle and later phases. When you are young, do not wait to think clearly and think for yourself, because it is never okay to waste time and energy on nonsense. Whether you are old or young, you want to get the most out of every moment you can. Learn, create, explore, have fun with friends, love your family, and all that. Do not sacrifice your precious days for the strange and unproven ideas of others. Think early and think forever. Why would you not want to do that? Sure, depending on age and maturity, young people have to trust the older authority figures around them and accept that they are not willing to do it alone because of their own inexperience. But this does not mean that young people cannot think for themselves to a considerable extent, starting from now. If you are a child or a teenager, do not accept that you are a robot that must be completely programmed by adults. Adults are often wrong, and you have a powerful brain. Use it. And if you are an adult, don't think it is ever too late to change the way you think. The sooner you can start thinking skeptically, the better. I see many things more skeptically than a few years ago. I believe less and less in a techno-utopia or the way we are currently tackling climate change. One example would be renewable energies, we are currently building solar plants everywhere without knowing how to dispose of them in a really sustainable way. To exaggerate a little, it is no different from nuclear power stations. We didn't know where to put all the waste, and in comparison, all nuclear power plants in Germany produce only a nano fraction of the "waste". We are currently asking ourselves what we can build alternatively, so we have created a project. Which focuses on regenerative materials (Yes we made this up), it is called NextNess. We are working with leading Universities together to show what we can use in a new infinite Game.

In this world, we are naturally and strongly influenced by our family, our friends, and our culture, but we can still make the important decision to think independently and respect ourselves enough not to blindly accept everything the rest of the world tries to shovel into our brains. It is understandable that some young people may feel that skeptical thinking is disrespectful under certain circumstances, especially when it goes against the beliefs or claims of beloved authority figures such as good parents and favorite teachers. Of course, this often happens, so it is a legitimate concern. But remember that there is a form of respect that is even more important than the respect shown to persons in authority. It is called self-respect. And skeptical thinking is the highest form of self-respect because it means that you care about the quality of the thoughts and beliefs that are in your brain. This defines you more than anything else. Your thoughts and beliefs determine who you are and who you will be.

The fact is that the people in your life may be smart, love you, want only the best for you - and still be completely wrong about some things. If current circumstances make openly questioning certain claims and beliefs too uncomfortable or dangerous for you, do not do it openly. Do it privately. Being a good skeptic and thinking freely while keeping your mouth shut is infinitely better than not thinking at all. It may feel lonely at times, but it can be done. Trust me. No one can know your private thoughts unless you share them - not even a psychic.

Farewell,

Malte