Northington Notes--Questions or Answers
Jerry W. Northington, DVM
November 30, 2013
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Human nature being what it is psychologists tell us we would rather have answers which may or may not be factual than to have open questions. An interesting phenomenon which leaves many of us in trouble in ways we may not anticipate. When government officials, for instance, speak we can expect always to hear statements represented as facts. We do not often hear those officials at any level express continued questions or even concerns which cannot be addressed. The speakers are playing to our psychology instead of leading us in ways which may benefit the future in better ways.

Much of our modern educational system is aimed at teaching students to regurgitate the statements presented as facts and to move away from actual questioning and investigation. We humans are taught from early ages to listen and absorb rather than to question and to seek for ourselves. In the end we have a society dependent on media sources of information which may not always offer the truth let alone the whole truth.

Questions are the source of ultimate knowledge. In science the answering of one question by sorting out the findings little by little often opens the doors to even more questions over time. Today even these avenues are beginning to be more limited as the push for commercial success is overwhelming the basic science search for knowledge. The government in all its wisdom continues to cut programs which support scientists who seek without purposeful commercial success as an end goal.

Questioning all we see and hear is difficult work. My childhood was ruled by the saying, "Believe nothing of what you hear and only half of what you see." The point is one may be misled by appearances or by comforting words. It is important always to check the facts. We all prefer to hear answers that fit our world view, but we need to examine outside our comfort zone if we are to progress as a society. We cannot rest on our laurels and allow others to lead us down the garden path of answers without questions.

Question, question, question. Always ask and pursue the answer even if that is not the most comfortable approach. Otherwise expect to find a trail which may not be the one you would chosen otherwise.

Peace.

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Quote of the Week:

Judge a man by his questions rather than his answers.--Voltaire