On holding one's beliefs at arm's length

[DWill]

Ooops....Off topic aren't I.

I'll join you off-topic, Penelope. Why is it that the Brits have such a way of making TV series with characters that viewers really come to care about and feel as though they know? I shrink a little in embarrassment at the shows that we send your way in exchange...I mean "Dallas", etc??? My wife and I were recently hooked on "Doc Martin" and were sad to see the new episodes end.

But getting back to the topic, the American excellence or exceptionalism discussion is relevant. I think it's hard to feel the need to preserve and improve anything, such as a country, a neighborhood, or an organization, without holding that thing in esteem. Otherwise, why would we care about it? So belief that what we have is somehow special seems to be a good and necessary thing. Our competitive natures probably get in the way of this healthy impulse when we come to think that excellence or virtue must be exclusive to our group, or that we've set the standard. That is where I come into conflict with the exceptionalism idea, and I do think we need to hold at arm's length our loves that in themselves are nothing harmful. Others have just as strong and as valid an attachment to their loves, and we need to conduct ourselves with this in mind.

[Saffron]

Well said, Giselle.

In critical thinking parlance, we often talk about holding one's beliefs at arm's length. All this means is don't get too attached to any position because contrary evidence may come along that goes against it. Our brains are sort of wired to look for things that support our beliefs and to not look at those that work against our beliefs. We can easily get emotionally attached to a position and put our blinders on as a result.

Of course, not all beliefs are equal. As Scottish philosopher David Hume said, we should apportion our beliefs based on the evidence.

I've just started reading The Believing Brain: From Ghosts and Gods to Politics and Conspiracies. How We Construck Beliefs and Reinforce Them as Truths by Michael Shermer. Long title, hun?! If it is any good, I'll post about it.

[geo]

Well said, Giselle.

In critical thinking parlance, we often talk about holding one's beliefs at arm's length. All this means is don't get too attached to any position because contrary evidence may come along that goes against it. Our brains are sort of wired to look for things that support our beliefs and to not look at those that work against our beliefs. We can easily get emotionally attached to a position and put our blinders on as a result.

Of course, not all beliefs are equal. As Scottish philosopher David Hume said, we should apportion our beliefs based on the evidence.

I've just started reading The Believing Brain: From Ghosts and Gods to Politics and Conspiracies. How We Construck Beliefs and Reinforce Them as Truths by Michael Shermer. Long title, hun?! If it is any good, I'll post about it.

I'm still reading Shermer's Why People Believe Weird Things (nice short title) and I'm really liking it. I'd love to hear about The Believing Brain.

[geo]

Ooops....Off topic aren't I.

I'll join you off-topic, Penelope.

Me too.

I've only seen a few episodes of the British version of The Office and it's very good. Then again, I really like Ricky Gervais. One of the main differences between British and American TV is Americans like to run a series through many, many years, often to a painful and drawn out death. Take M.A.S.H., for example. The British made two six-episode seasons of The Office and then quit, figuring why push it? Meanwhile, the American version is about to go into its eighth season even without its star, Steve Carell.

I have fond memories of Fawlty Towers, a series that starred John Cleese, but for some reason, they made only 13 episodes. On the other hand, aren't they still making Doctor Who after some 30 years or so?

[Saffron]

Ooops....Off topic aren't I.

I'll join you off-topic, Penelope.

Me too.

I've only seen a few episodes of the British version of The Office and it's very good. Then again, I really like Ricky Gervais. One of the main differences between British and American TV is Americans like to run a series through many, many years, often to a painful and drawn out death. Take M.A.S.H., for example. The British made two six-episode seasons of The Office and then quit, figuring why push it? Meanwhile, the American version is about to go into its eighth season even without its star, Steve Carell.

I have fond memories of Fawlty Towers, a series that starred John Cleese, but for some reason, they made only 13 episodes. On the other hand, aren't they still making Doctor Who after some 30 years or so?

YES! My daughter tells me it is the longest running TV show ever. Due to the layout of our house I was subjected to hours and hours of Dr. Who this summer. The first 10 episoids were fun, after that they all seemed the same to me.

[DWill]

I'm still reading Shermer's Why People Believe Weird Things (nice short title) and I'm really liking it. I'd love to hear about The Believing Brain.

I remember enjoying that book quite a number of years ago, but don't recall it distinctly. I hope you'll both give us some of the gist.

[Saffron]

I'm still reading Shermer's Why People Believe Weird Things (nice short title) and I'm really liking it. I'd love to hear about The Believing Brain.

I remember enjoying that book quite a number of years ago, but don't recall it distinctly. I hope you'll both give us some of the gist.

You must be remembering a different book. This one was published May 2011.

[lady of shallot]

I'd like to join in the OT of British t .v. shows. We were very disappointed last night to see our PBS station, on which we watch "Doc Martin", is off the air!

We did also at one time have a British channel on which we saw Little Britain and oh I forget her name, the comedienne Katherine something? Very funny both of them.

[Penelope]

I think Fawlty Towers was a very special show. It seems to be everyone's favourite and we watch it on old video tapes with our grandson Isaac, who is now ten years old and just at the right age to appreciate the humour. We know the dialogue by heart but we still laugh every single time.

It's Katherine Tate, to whom you refer, LofS. She is very funny and I love the schoolgirl she created.....'Am I bovvered? Look at my face, do I look bovvered?'. Although 'Little Britain' was a bit cruel for my taste...and often made me squirm and shocked me into laughter. Well, 'The Office' also made me squirm and I remember that although I didn't like the David Brent character at all, I cried when he was made redundant and felt so sorry for him. That is very clever characterisation.

We like Doc Martin too, and another one with Stephen Fry called 'Kingdom'.

Humour is so interesting and I don't think it transfers from generation to generation. What our parents thought was funny, is not funny to us and what we find hilarious, leaves our offspring cold. At the moment my favourite new comedy shows are 'Miranda' and another one called 'Not Going Out'. They have excellent witty dialogue but are not too cruel and shocking.

I do think this is 'on topic' because humour does help us to look at our beliefs from arms length. Maybe that is why iconoclastic humour like Monty Python is so good for us. Anyway, I love a good laugh more than anything and sometimes, it is the one thing that makes life bearable.

[lady of shallot]

That's right Penny, Katherine Tate. We often say to each other, "Do I look bovered?"

I don't know that I agree about humor from generation to generation. Our grandkids and we have enjoyed vastly such movies as a Katherine Hepburn, Cary Grant in "Bringing up Baby" from the '30s and Buster Keaton's "the general" and others of his from probably before the 1920's. We also all love "Grease"

We had the pleasure of meeting John Cleese and having him sign our book on Fawlty Towers. My favorites are the ones about the rat and where he hits the car with the branch. But they are all good.

Right now we are also fans of 30 Rock. Each line is a gem and you have to really pay attention.