This is what I am learning about human nature, belief systems and neuropsychology . When a person has his or her beliefs cemented in place with reinforcement of the emotions – objectivity and facts are no longer relevant.

When that belief involves choosing sides and being part of a team or “group think”, certain psychological make-ups will choose team over logic, facts and data every time. When people are in the clutches of such mental strongholds and shown facts which dispute their belief on any particular topic, they will display a flight or fight response. Emotions will triumph over logic or reason and “truth” becomes an actual adversary which must be repudiated at all costs.

This ability to suspend logic and go with “what one feels to be true” is why there are flat earthers, science deniers and political or religious cultic beliefs based in conspiracy not actual facts. When study participants are asked why they hold to a particular belief even when they are shown facts to the contrary, they simply reply, “because that is just how I feel about it.”

This my dear friends is where we are today. Those who believe the moon landing was a hoax or Obama is actually a Muslim born in Africa or that our own government planted explosives underneath the World Trade Center to help bring it down . . . can vote for our leaders or actually become President of the United States.

Lovers and seekers of truth, facts, logical reasoning, objectivity and science must stand strong and not grow weary. While it can be exhausting when truth is under assault every day, we must resist apathy and complacency. It is so tempting to want to tune out and get away from it all for self-protection, peace and sanity. And I totally understand that choice. But for some reason, I find myself compelled to stay in there and reach for higher ground.

These days, what brings me peace is knowing that there are more of us who value facts and truth over myths and beliefs. At least, that is what I am telling myself. And at that twist of irony, I will choose to lol.