The Whirlpool Effect
I went to church on Sunday. I didn’t want to and wasn’t planning on it, but my evil controlling parental overlords forced me to honor that 4th grade commitment to the server schedule (created by evil nuns). Somehow, maybe due to my coffee addiction, I was able to stay awake throughout the entire mass. While I was pleasantly surprised that abortion was not the topic of discussion for once, I did notice that the priest used the word ‘mystery’ often. This is nothing new, of course, as this word is often used in religious discussion. One of the most used quotes is “God works in mysterious ways”. I just want to address this philosophy and why I disagree with it.
First, lets take a little step backwards and examine reality. (I’m about to get all Objectivist, so if you are no fan of Ayn Rand’s you may want to stop right here). People learn about the external world through their senses. This information is then interpreted by the mind. Thus, people learn about their existence through information they collect through observation.
Mystery is defined as something that baffles understanding and cannot be explained. Therefore, to attempt to explain something is to destroy the mystery, lowering the value of the event. Not all people believe this, but some would reject any knowledge that would remove the mystery aspect. I cannot understand these people. I’ve been told that this satisfies them, and it makes them believe in a higher power. But I ask you this, dear readers, is it any less of a miracle is a bind man is cured for perfectly accepted medical reasons? Is it impossible to believe that something scientifically explainable cannot be the work of your god?
We’ve already established that you should accept facts to understand existence, so to reject these facts in favor of the “mystery” effect is denying existence. This is the connection between this post and Rand, since her main character, John Galt, in Atlas Shurgged says the following in the epic long speech at the end of the book:
When a man declares: ‘Who am I to know?’—he is declaring: ‘Who am I to live?’
Adbge and I refer to this as ‘The Whirlpool Effect’ because people prefer the whirlpool of a mystery instead of a clear and thought out explanation. I cannot understand these people, seeing something deep and profound in something they refuse to understand. Unfortunately, I seem to be the minority, if my school is any example. ‘The Whirlpool Effect’ is one of my pet peeves, and I wish it would die.
Photo by mshades. Used under a Creative Commons License.