I think my family has a bad habit. I tend to hear my sister do it a lot, but occasionally i do it too. And probably many people in this world do it. Like, when people say something, like, give an opinion or whatever not, we tend to highlight the fact that that person might be wrong, that he's making assumptions. For example, you could give an opinion about someone, and someone else would rush in to say "Yah lah, but you don't really know her THAT well, right.." or "
Haiyoh how would you know, you could be wrong lah." I don't know why people like to say things like this. (Maybe it makes them feel smart..? Telling other people how they're wrong?)
"Keep in mind that although you might be sure of your opinion, you might also be dead wrong." It's actually horribly obvious isn't it...
of course we might be wrong. But i suppose some people don't seem to realise it. Perhaps it's related. Let's call the mantra above, and other things and trends that people think of while lying in their beds, a "
philosophical thought". Or in short, just a "thought". Anyone with a brain can think about it, once you realise it, but it's a thought nevertheless.
You see where i'm going? There're those who are able to fully realise the mantra, or any other "thoughts" that they might have, and then think that they're very smart..smarter than other people, because they assume that others don't realise what they've thought of. I guess it certainly makes people feel smarter.
Then there're those who realise that "You may have a very
clever thought, but you should never assume that no one else has thought of it before as well". Which is another step up from the previous mode of thinking.
But then it goes on and on as well. "You may realise that 'everyone might have thought of that mantra before', but you also should not assume that no one else has realised THAT." is YET another step up from the previous one. It goes on and on to infinity..something a little bit like the "i know you know i know you know.." phenomenon that goes back and forth, never ending. How attuned you are to all this, in the end, depends largely on how many "steps" you can
comprehend.
And there's also the dudes (like me, even) who realise that it all can go to infinity, and that makes
them feel very smart too...but they ALSO should remember that they're not the only ones who realises it. And if they realise THAT, they should also...
In any case, if you find all of this confusing (oh wait. i shouldn't be assuming THAT), i'm very sorry. It's pretty difficult trying to put all of this into words. But for those who can't comprehend it at all, just treat it as yet another bunch of "lame thoughts" and forget about it. Lol.
Anyhow, i realise that when people doubt my words, or treat it with disdain, or simply launch into the "how do you know that you're right" tirade, i tend to get all frantic and jittery and exaggerate matters. I think it's a relic from my very young childhood, where i was put down by older people, and made to feel like i had a reputation for illogic, for saying things that really seemed logical to me when i was a kid. Like when i was 6..."all electrical toys confirm will have some kinda metal inside it"...Oh wait (although it's probably the truth) that's total rubbish (a.k.a. you're not
necessarily correct) 'cos there's silicon!
So just a note to self: From now onwards, if people do the "you may be wrong" act on you, just remember all that crap above that you blogged about, and stay calm. "Of
course i may be wrong, you don't have to state the
obvious, but it's just a friendly opinion of mine, just the impression i get.."
