multiplicity_archives | (no subject)

I’m sure everyone has read someone’s post on this community or read a comment that made you stop and think, “I don’t believe you.” If you haven’t, either you don’t read the threads very closely or you work very hard not to think critically about anything you read here, because there have been some very outrageous claims made here over the years. (But that’s an entirely different discussion.) I want to know what people think when they come across one of these statements that they just can’t believe.

Do you:

A) Think the person is lying.
B) Think the person is knowingly role playing
C) Think the person believes that they are multiple but is probably unintentionally role playing or some other form of imagination
D) Think the system is lying about the experiences
E) Think the system is knowingly or unintentionally role playing the experiences
F) Think the system is adhering to the community’s cultural norms/trying to fit in
G) Think the system probably honestly believes their claims even though another explanation seems more logical to you
H) Think the system probably started out making things up but has since convinced themselves that their claims are true
I) Worry that you might be making things up too or that someone else might think you are
J) Think something else entirely – please share

Also, do your thoughts change depending on why you can’t believe the statement? For example, is there a difference between someone claiming to do/be something that you think is impossible and someone contradicting themselves or claiming that something happened in real life that could not have happened?

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I think anybody who *hasn't* at some point has issues with belief on this community probably is *too* open minded.

I mean, I think we all know Ia ccept some pretty far out stuff, but that shouldn't remove anybody's ability to wonder about these things.

I also think every situation is different. different letters (from your examples) for different cases.

by "too open minded", do you mean being "gullible"? because I'm not sure if being too open minded is completely a bad thing.. it sounds like a negative-positive wrapped up in one.. interesting.. :)

open-minded (to me) is something positive.. add the "too" in front of it and it turns into something negative; a kind of gullibility.. don't mind me, I like to think about things like that.. *grin*

XD

I'm not sure 'gullible' is the same, not *quite* anyway, I think the two are subtley different. I think by "too open minded" I mean "too open to new ideas" (yes there is such a thing...), "too easily accepting of other beliefs" (again yes there is such a thing x_X) whereas gullible is more "Yes, I will give you candy and a magical slipper if you step into my car *evilgrin*"

too open to new ideas.. yeah, that can be not such a good thing.. letting every new fad or idea in without any sort of personal filtering.. if that happens for too long, who are you anymore? if I did something like that (let every idea take root in me), and someone asked me my personal opinion on a subject, would I even have an opinion that was my own?

in a sense, there is a touch of gullibility involved in being too open-minded.. if there is blind acceptance, or no asking "why?".. "there are days when the sky is pink!" I take that idea and file it away, but don't ask the reason why.. if I did, I'd learn it's actually true in some places during sunrise or sunset.. (like my pink sky example? lol.. I liked your evil grin!)

but, yeah.. I think a person could end up losing themselves by accepting everything they hear.. taking bits and pieces of things that feel right and then tweaking them would work better.. though, it could also go with the underlying urge for some people to want to fit in and belong.. "if I don't have an inner world, does that mean I'm making everything up?" and then decide to create one in order to belong..

my personal wish for everyone is that they can be who they really are.. to be comfortable with themselves.. to not be afraid to say what their reality is like for them.. to share and learn from each other without worrying if someone is going to harass them on it.. but the online world is a brutal place and can make people internet-shy.. I suppose I have big dreams....

True. That's kind of a play on the absorption of new ideas.

In terms of this community the 'too open minded' thing I think mostly applies to "hi since you say it's real then ok! :D"

I mean, I'm all for accepting various viewpoints, but there's a stage where that gets too much. You can't just say "ok! :D" re: "Hello, I have a multiple system comprising purely of the cast from Hellsing and I drink real blood most weeknights."

Well, you could. That doesn't make it sensible XD