I admit that I am biased in favor of my own opinions. I admit that I think the things that I think, and that I agree with people who also think the things that I think. I admit that I am biased in favor of that which I believe to be true and correct. In matters of morality, I admit that I have a moral code, and that I think it’s the correct one to hold. Because of this (my being biased in favor of my own morality), I tend to agree with people who I think are right and disagree with people who I think are incorrect. Many times, when someone is saying something that I think is fundamentally incorrect, I will disagree with them merely because I think they are wrong. I am less likely to agree with those I disagree with. When presented with an argument, I will view it through the bias of whether or not I believe it to be factually sound and accurate as to its assertions. If I don’t think it is a valid argument, I will disagree with it and dismiss it, allowing my bias against whatever I perceive as nonsense to come through.
Furthermore, I only respect those things which I believe to be respectable. While I attempt to tolerate all sorts of bullshit, I do not, nor do I think I ought to, respect any thought, belief and/or viewpoint whatsoever, merely because some person somewhere thinks, believes and/or holds it. Rather, I only respect that which I believe to be true, admirable and valid. Furthermore, while I attempt to tolerate all people and to respect their right to believe whatever nonsense they so choose, I do not respect all people any more than I respect said nonsense. I do respect some people who believe nonsense (despite their nonsensical beliefs), and I very likely respect some actual nonsense (although I have not yet come to see it as such, or I would have stopped respecting it), but I do not extend that respect to all such people just by virtue of their being people, or to all beliefs in general just by virtue of their being beliefs.
Finally, I judge. In fact, I tend to judge and evaluate everything that I see, hear or otherwise encounter. I no sooner see a thing than I have made any number of judgments about it, and have formulated all sorts of opinions. I can no more perceive without judging than I can eat without tasting or sleep without dreaming. I form opinions about people within mere seconds of meeting them. I form opinions about everything from chunks of prose to chunks of tuna. It’s a sickness. I can’t stop it. I have only to see something, and before I know what I’m about, I’ve given it a bit of thought.
I would say I’ll attempt to reform, but that would not be honest. Truthfully, I’ve already formed an opinion as to all of this that I’ve just written, and I’ve judged it to be correct, and now here I go again – respecting my own opinion and being biased in favor of it.
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See also: Twelve Virtues of Rationality (via Kottke). A good thing to read before getting into a political discussion.
