Dangerous lies?

[boulderjohn]

Cognitive Dissonance is a mental stress people feel when they hold two contradictory beliefs simultaneously. Some people, however, can hold contradictory beliefs simultaneously without any discomfort whatsoever. Here is a very common ScubaBoard example of beliefs that some people hold simultaneously.

1. The scuba world is filled with incompetent divers You rarely see anyone with any skill whatsoever.
2. This is caused by incompetent instructors. Pretty much all instructors are terrible divers, so they cannot teach proper skills to anyone. It is no wonder that the students they teach go out and become terrible divers, too.
3. For that reason, once you get your OW certification, you should not take any more formal classes. You should instead find a more experienced diver to Mentor you. This person will have more skill than any instructor you would hire and will be able to give you better instruction.
4. To find someone to fill your needs in concept #3, choose anyone from the group mentioned in concept #1.
5. If that highly skilled Mentor you found in concept #3 takes additional training and becomes an instructor, stay away! That person's skills will have deteriorated to the point that they are now in concept #2.

 

[boulderjohn]

So, did your friend ever tell you again how it was all downhill?

No, he admitted that he had forgotten the uphill part; however, he never admitted the idiocy of believing the two routes as he envisioned them could end up in the same place. It was for him a problem of memory, not logical thinking.

 

[txgoose]

Cognitive Dissonance is a mental stress people feel when they hold two contradictory beliefs simultaneously. Some people, however, can hold contradictory beliefs simultaneously without any discomfort whatsoever. Here is a very common ScubaBoard example of beliefs that some people hold simultaneously.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

I am very new to diving so I have no comment on that portion (I loved my instructor and signed my wife up for a private certification with him where I could be her dive buddy. But then that could be a link to the "We don't know what we don't know" thread. ), but just the general idea behind this post is awesome. So many folks seem far too adept at holding contradictory beliefs without stress. Drives me bonkers. We don't all have to have the answers but we ought to be able to own up to times when things just aren't right.

 

[boulderjohn]

For some reason I am currently obsessed by the psychological factors that lead us to believe things that are obviously false. To explore it further, I will tell two stories featuring me as the stooge.

1. Many decades ago, I saw some show on TV in which a doctor picked something up, only to have it slip from his grasp and fall. He immediately recognized that as the earliest stages of some rare and fatal neurological disorder. Ridiculous, I thought. Everyone has that happen--almost no one gets that disease. That is the only thing I remember from that show decades ago. I thought it was ridiculous from the start. Still, every time I pick something up and drop it, I have a vision of that happening to that doctor, and I feel a twinge of fear.

2. Also decades ago, there was a commercial running frequently on TV in which a man goes outside in his pajamas to get the morning paper and foolishly closes the door behind him. Being locked out of his house in his pajamas leads to a series of embarrassing misfortunes that somehow advertises a product I can't recall. Ridiculous, I thought. Who has a self locking door on their home? I certainly don't. I have, in fact, never lived in a house with a self-locking door, but from that time on, I have always left the front door ajar when getting the morning paper. I often think of that ad when I do, and I wonder just what the Hell is wrong with me.

There has to be a lesson in that somewhere. Even when we know from the start that a story is wrong, it can somehow stick with us for decades. What if we believe at first that what we heard is true and only later realize it is wrong?

 

[sunnyboy]

For some reason I am currently obsessed by the psychological factors that lead us to believe things that are obviously false. To explore it further, I will tell two stories featuring me as the stooge.

1. Many decades ago, I saw some show on TV in which a doctor picked something up, only to have it slip from his grasp and fall. He immediately recognized that as the earliest stages of some rare and fatal neurological disorder. Ridiculous, I thought. Everyone has that happen--almost no one gets that disease. That is the only thing I remember from that show decades ago. I thought it was ridiculous from the start. Still, every time I pick something up and drop it, I have a vision of that happening to that doctor, and I feel a twinge of fear.

2. Also decades ago, there was a commercial running frequently on TV in which a man goes outside in his pajamas to get the morning paper and foolishly closes the door behind him. Being locked out of his house in his pajamas leads to a series of embarrassing misfortunes that somehow advertises a product I can't recall. Ridiculous, I thought. Who has a self locking door on their home? I certainly don't. I have, in fact, never lived in a house with a self-locking door, but from that time on, I have always left the front door ajar when getting the morning paper. I often think of that ad when I do, and I wonder just what the Hell is wrong with me.

There has to be a lesson in that somewhere. Even when we know from the start that a story is wrong, it can somehow stick with us for decades. What if we believe at first that what we heard is true and only later realize it is wrong?

John,

I think you are talking about common traits of habit & superstition, especially the superstition part. Most superstitions are based on avoiding something we fear, and once it gets ingrained it is almost impossible to overcome. They are also really easy to "re-trigger" by mere mention. So I won't mention sidewalk cracks and maternal back injuries, but I bet everyone will now pay attention when walking on a sidewalk for a few days! ;-)

That said, I do have a spare tiger whistle if you need one. :-D

 

[TMHeimer]

I have that door thing too, among other things. I have like two million spare house & car keys stashed around, besides a house one in car and car one in house. All part of OCD I guess (well at least in my case).

 

[RandomGuy1]

2. Also decades ago, there was a commercial running frequently on TV in which a man goes outside in his pajamas to get the morning paper and foolishly closes the door behind him. Being locked out of his house in his pajamas leads to a series of embarrassing misfortunes that somehow advertises a product I can't recall. Ridiculous, I thought. Who has a self locking door on their home? I certainly don't. I have, in fact, never lived in a house with a self-locking door, but from that time on, I have always left the front door ajar when getting the morning paper. I often think of that ad when I do, and I wonder just what the Hell is wrong with me.

I have a self locking door. Of course it also has a keypad on it so I don't need a key to get in.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

For some reason I am currently obsessed by the psychological factors that lead us to believe things that are obviously false. To explore it further, I will tell two stories featuring me as the stooge.

1. Many decades ago, I saw some show on TV in which a doctor picked something up, only to have it slip from his grasp and fall. He immediately recognized that as the earliest stages of some rare and fatal neurological disorder. Ridiculous, I thought. Everyone has that happen--almost no one gets that disease. That is the only thing I remember from that show decades ago. I thought it was ridiculous from the start. Still, every time I pick something up and drop it, I have a vision of that happening to that doctor, and I feel a twinge of fear.

2. Also decades ago, there was a commercial running frequently on TV in which a man goes outside in his pajamas to get the morning paper and foolishly closes the door behind him. Being locked out of his house in his pajamas leads to a series of embarrassing misfortunes that somehow advertises a product I can't recall. Ridiculous, I thought. Who has a self locking door on their home? I certainly don't. I have, in fact, never lived in a house with a self-locking door, but from that time on, I have always left the front door ajar when getting the morning paper. I often think of that ad when I do, and I wonder just what the Hell is wrong with me.

There has to be a lesson in that somewhere. Even when we know from the start that a story is wrong, it can somehow stick with us for decades. What if we believe at first that what we heard is true and only later realize it is wrong?

Well, one time I did go out of my GF's house to get the paper and didn't turn the lock on the doorknob to make sure it was unlocked. It was cold and the door was closed but not latched behind me. Until I returned with the paper and pulled the storm door open. There was just enough suction to pull the main door the rest of the way. Yep, had to knock to get in.

 

[dmaziuk]

I have that door thing too, among other things. I have like two million spare house & car keys stashed around, besides a house one in car and car one in house. All part of OCD I guess (well at least in my case).

I tend to work late and the doors lock themselves at six. Back when I smoked I locked myself out of the office, with keys inside, enough times to start chaining the keys to my belt. And then I quit smoking. I still carry the chain.

And it's all been downhill since I was a kid riding a bike.

 

[BRT]

There are enough that self lock that I make some $$ opening them for people. I think it is a good idea.