Defending Beliefs!

[The Reality Salesman01]

I got into a huge debate yesterday over the importance of getting married with my Girlfriend's newly engaged friend. She couldn't tell me why marriage was SOOOO important to a long happy relationship, yet she KNEW and BELIEVED that it was. As a comparison, I asked her to tell me why I should brush my teeth, she gave me 5 or 6 good reasons right of the bat. I asked her-"If marriage is so important, why can't you give me a good reason for it? You had no problem coming up with reasons to brush my teeth." After a long while, she finally came up with what she thought was the best answer. She told me it was part of her religion, and that was why it was necessary. I wasn't about to explain to her how that reason is just as bad as everything else she offered. I mean, she was willing to argue with me for 20 minutes over ONE belief she had no reasons to support, I wasn't about to start another one! I'm not saying that marriage can't have benefits, but it was clear that she didn't have any of those things in mind, yet it was a belief worth defending for her. My guess was she wanted to get married to so she could have a big ring, and a fancy party. I couldn't get that out of her yesterday, but I still considered it a little victory

It made me think though...What are some other beliefs that people rigorously defend without any reason? Debating marriage with that girl felt like debating religion. She had ZERO reasons for why marriage was a necessary requirement for her and her fiancée to have a long happy life together, yet she insisted that it was. I was just sick of her pressuring my girlfriend at work to get married and thought I'd take the opportunity to grill her for a minute

I was curious if anybody could think of something else that people reactively defend without stopping to consider whether or not it's a belief worth actually having. A beliefs people hold without good reasons, yet they are beliefs they get defensive about when challenged.

[pocaracas]

Marriage has a few things going for it.
- A contract before the government immediately granting you some protection when something happens to your spouse, or when divorce becomes a reality

- A celebration that lets your family and friends know that you and your spouse are together and your children will be his also.

- Being married, you can register your children by yourself... unmarried, both parents are required (at least in this South-western European country)

- Life insurance covers both spouses for little more than what you'd pay for just one... and, in case one dies, it pays in full for the spouse to go on having a dignified life.

[The Reality Salesman01]

Bingo! But, she didn't think of any of those things. I'm not saying an argument can't be made for marriage, only that somebody can believe in it as being extremely important without having a single good reason for it.

[pocaracas]

Bingo! But, she didn't think of any of those things. I'm not saying an argument can't be made for marriage, only that somebody can believe in it as being extremely important without having a single good reason for it.

That just shows that people aren't very into thinking... it's a tiresome exercise, after all!

[The Reality Salesman01]

Pocaracas,

I used to be in a F-18 squadron whose call sign was "The Pukin' Dogs". Back in the mid forties before they were getting designated as a new squadron, they were "The Griffins" But, one of the pilot's wives said the image on the jets looked more like a dog throwing up. So, they switched names.

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Over the years, the emblem changed. Eventually they changed it to what it is now. The funny part is, the kid that drew the most recent design, modeled it off The Thunder Cats emblem you use for your avatar. All the old fogies in The US Navy didn't know what the hell Thundercats were, and the emblem was approved, and is still on the jets today...It's not the exact one, but it was the inspiration!

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It has nothing to do with what we're talking about, I've been meaning to share that with you. Thought you might get a kick out of it.

[pocaracas]

So now they have a griffin, that looks a bit like a puking thundercat with wings!
Awesome! Thanks for sharing!

[The Reality Salesman01]

Lol..YES! Nobody has a fucking clue why they're called The Pukin' Dogs!

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You can see it written on the leading edge extension part of the wing...

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[Minimalist]

She told me it was part of her religion,

Never a good reason for anything.

[pineapplebunnybounce]

Pseudoscience.

Astrology, GMO scare, alternative medicine, psychics, those types of things.

I've been in very long arguments about these things because I'm openly very skeptical and people like to challenge that. Very often they get hostile towards the end because they realize they cannot defend their beliefs with anything I would consider as valid and say that I shouldn't belittle these things just because science hasn't understood them.

[NoraBrimstone]

Marriage is a ridiculous institution. Outdated and stupid. Honestly.

Another one I know of is kinda related. Kids having their father's last name. He wasn't the one to give birth, so why give the kid his name? It especially baffles me when the parents aren't together by the time the kid is born, or weren't together to begin with. I've yet to hear an argument for this that makes sense. It's not like a man can even know for sure that the kid is even his unless he's had a paternity test, whereas it's pretty easy to determine that the mother is the mother (unless they have accidentally left the hospital with the wrong baby or something.)

I have my mother's surname. My bio father's name is a stupid one, so I'm glad of it. When people say that that's weird, I ask why and they never have a good answer. If you actually think about it, it's way weirder to give a kid their father's last name. All he did was jizz. I don't get it.