Generation of Vipers (Seeds, #2)

by Peter Cawdron

life is bigger than right and wrong. It’s not what you think that’s important, it’s why.”

“How did you come to your conclusion? That’s what I want to know. That’s what matters. Being right or wrong isn’t as important as how you got to be right or wrong in the first place.

Three words. That’s all he needs to hit the mark. “Beliefs are overrated.”

Arguments aren’t won by logic. People are convinced by emotion, not reason. And people get weary. They get worn out. In the end, they’d rather give in than fight—just like a big old swordfish. For years, Andy used this technique to fish for fools and sell pills with the nutritional value of dirt. Now, he plies his trade to expose conspiracy theories. He wants people to think, not believe.

“Confirmation bias, baby. That’s what I’m talking about. No one convinces you of anything you don’t already believe. All they do is fan the flames. I’m telling you, beware of easy answers. Beware of black and white. Beware of right and wrong. “It’s not what you believe that’s important, it’s why. Don’t ask yourself what you believe, ask yourself why. How did you get to that point? That’s the trick. That’s the ploy. That’s the angle. That’s the game. That’s the goddamn secret they don’t want you to know. That’s how they play you.”

“If you think you’re right—cool—of course, you do. We all think we’re right. I think I’m right too. But don’t stop there. Ask questions. Look for answers you don’t like. Stop and think. Challenge yourself to go deeper. Maybe, just maybe, there’s more to learn. Be willing to change your position. Instead of jumping to a conclusion, jump to a bunch of goddamn questions.”

Inconvenience is the unforgivable sin. They don’t stop to think about whether that change is for better or worse. It’s a case of squealing—Don’t tread on me! During COVID, this was particularly obvious. With a pandemic sweeping the world and vaccines readily available, freedom meant being stubborn even if it killed loved ones.

“Evolution doesn’t care for smarts. It cares about the next generation. Evolution is driven by whatever improves the odds of the next generation succeeding. If anything, our intelligence is an impediment to that. We’re burning fossil fuels for this generation, not the next. We’re cutting down the rainforests for ourselves, not our kids. Oh, we hide behind the stock market and our local supermarket, but we’re all part of this, with each of us acting for ourselves alone. Our intelligence is actually kind of dumb.”

“Hope is a disease. Hope blinds people to reality,”

Someone is targeted with disinformation and they enthusiastically disseminate misinformation. The real issue is intent. Disinformation is malicious. There’s a determined effort to mislead. Misinformation is inadvertent.

Nobody wants the truth. They want to confirm their beliefs—only reality doesn’t work that way.

“That’s social media. It’s the most goddamn anti-social thing we’ve ever created. Publishing a tweet is like shouting random nonsense at a bus driving past on the freeway.”

“But the real battle has just been won.” “You seem pretty confident about that.” “I am,” she says. “As a species, we’ve never been the strongest or fastest. We’ve succeeded because we work together.”

“People think it’s a sin to be wrong. It’s not. It’s human. The problem arises when we refuse to accept we’re wrong. That’s when shit gets dicey.” Oops, she thinks, there goes another one! Tighten it up, Kath. “Mistakes are part of life,” she says, tacitly acknowledging her own bloopers in this speech. “Mistakes are normal. Remaining in them is the real problem. That takes pride and arrogance. And I’d argue, those are the worst mistakes of all. “The grand lesson of science is simple: accept reality, don’t fight it because you don’t like it. Push the boundaries but don’t live in a dream. We’ve got to accept the challenges that face us, not ignore them. We’ve got to work together. And above all, we have to be patient with each other.” She pauses, looking down at her lace gloves and the scars on the back of her hands, adding one last sentiment. “We need to be kind.”

The challenge arises when people demean excellence. It’s too easy to be critical. Armchair quarterbacks might talk a big game but they never get off the couch.

There is a cult of ignorance in the United States [and around the world], and there always has been. The strain of anti-intellectualism has been a constant thread winding its way through our political and cultural life, nurtured by the false notion that democracy means that “my ignorance is just as good as your knowledge.” — Isaac Asimov.