Why Smart People Believe Silly Things
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- Опубликовано: 27 сен 2024
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I gave this speech in February at the LogiCal LA conference in Los Angeles. Receiving the footage at this time has been helpful, since as this uploads I will be on holiday, meaning it fills what otherwise would have been an empty week with no content.
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Alex O'Connor
Po Box 1610
OXFORD
OX4 9LL
ENGLAND
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I get the feeling that Alex just begged the arrangers to put the lecture in the morning so every one of his videos could start with “Good morning, everybody”
I doubt he appreciated the jet lag.
It was actually secretly filmed in the afternoon in a secret room at Denver's Horror Airport, to an audience of 'clones' and 'sleepers' charitably supplied by
Sam Harris's avon lady.
He doesn't believe that shit. That's his shtick. He's just a huckster.
Imagine him starting a speech at a funeral...
@@AquaPeet “Good morning, everybody...well, not everybody I'm afraid *chuckles Britishly*”
We can take a moment to acknowledge the fact he was 18?
Very inspiring speech Alex.
19
@@csupor1046 That's literally my age
@@gabrielchattaway1663 There are a couple of hiccups where he seems to need time to find the right mental track again, but it's certainly miles above anything I could procure, and I'm 19 too. I wonder if he's a natural or if he practiced a lot; or both.
Yes! Alex O'Connor is a smart person who believes in silly things, such as atheism. For example.
@@robinrobyn1714 Hehe. Why is atheism a silly thing?
"It is infinitely more productive to be openly biased, than to be deceptively neutral"
That's one of my favorite quotes from Alex. 33:12
Productive towards what ends?
Wish the people above me weren't so purposefully obtuse
@@crunchylettuce5446 it's called intellectually honest, not obtuse.
"than to be deceptively neutral"
Deceptively neutral is how to have a conversation.
“Deceptively neutral” is the BBC.
Thanks! Why smart people believe silly things (26:30):
1- We are emotional animals prone to allowing our emotions to overcome our reason;
2- Smart people are often more of a problem because they are better at rationalising their emotional hunches;
3- When a smart person does hold a silly belief, they are better at convincing other people of this;
4- Even with the benefit of a free market of ideas, confirmation bias, like a snake in the grass, ruins its efficiency.
Conclusion: Smart people not only can hold silly beliefs, but often pose even more of a problem when they do.
Stupid people are the most dangerous people on the planet.
what's up with the snake in the grass?
I think I'm more of a silly person who believes smart things.
The mark of a smart person.
Rubjerg lmao
Same
Of course... How can you know that what you believe is smart?
I sponge on the minds of people who're wiser than myself and generously share their knowledge in a relatively unbiased way in articles, books, documentaries etc. Often you don't even need to leave the tube for some of the good stuff in this respect -- for the way our world works, for example, there're great channels like World Science Festival, Royal Institute, PBS Spacetime etc.
As a wise man once said: "I'm not sure I'm doubting myself enough."
So many people, not sure (aware) that they are doubting themselves.
Honestly this talk should be heard by more people, I'm from highly intelligent family, i myself am nuclear scientist and I've been thinking a lot about the topic of believing that as a person is smart, he is not susceptible to fall for irrational beliefs and i am constantly stopping myself to think, if everything i believe in is based in evidence and logic and i am trying to only believe in those two things. I like to think that im not susceptible to bad beliefs as im trying to find inconsistencies in all beliefs i have and find my mistakes, but even i am susceptible and im constantly trying to prevent myself from falling for bad beliefs. I know many extremely smart people who have fallen to this trap of thinking that they can't fall for bad ideologies and actually believe irrational stuff. Even my father holds some beliefs which are not supported by evidence and logic. People should always doubt everything they believe in and what they think and hear.
The only problem is, that once you do that, you are unable to produce definite predictions, and are unable to align with almost any ideology fully. Ive been thinking about politics a lot (im not from the us, I'm European), as i went through all information about political parties we have here, i found out that i can't vote for any of them, because none of them are aiming to do the best for everyone. We don't have a bipartisan system here, there are dozens of political parties, but still none is going for the overall good in all fields. If you do all the selfless things to do overall good, noone will support you. Also if you just follow the evidence and logic, you will never do anything because you cant be certain.
Once you really try to not fall for bad beliefs, you will find yourself at the point of not believing anything except the proven solid evidence, and then you will always be also doubting all interpretations of the evidence. But its hard to argue other people who hold bad beliefs, because you cant tell them with certainty that they're wrong, because there is no proof of it, but there isnt a way to disprove it either. You cant really talk people out of believing bad stuff, they have to do that by themselves. They have to try to find their flaws, and flaws in their beliefs. Everyone is susceptible.
I really enjoy math, because everything is built on the base of solid theory. Everything is properly defined and people build everything from those already proven theories. Everything can be disproven if its false. There is either proven or disproven (or waiting for proof in some cases), and everything one does is replicable. If someone believes something and you think its wrong, you can disprove it and once disproven, there is nothing ot debate about, the theory was wrong.
I had the grace to doubt my doubts
@@mitotakjde9763 I feel you, my brother, on so many points. Yet, logic and evidence, while being necessary, are not enough, as one needs postulate to strat conversing with the world. There is consciousness, and then are the stuff that are inside consciousness. And as soon as one take those things seriously, they are implying some postulate.
This makes infinitely harder to discriminate between good ans bad belief.
Stay strong!
Like it. We all need more humility, modesty, honesty, and objectivity about ourselves. At the same time, our true potential and thus long term worth is not affected by our current shortcomings or mistakes.
I was a devout christian until I was 62. I got several versions of the bible, booklets by famous TV evangelists. I started from Genesis 1;1 and went through the bible page by page, verse by verse. I wanted to become a better christian, however, the more I got into this intense study, I found verses, chapters, books, that made me feel that all this was nonsense. It took me 3 years before I actually did not believe the bible and became an Atheist. And another 2 years before I stopped looking over my shoulder to see if god was watching me. I am now 77 and have no doubt Atheist-ism is my firm belief now.
Buzz
“Bravo!” I too am *older*. I wish I hadn’t spent time riding the jesus wave for so long but at least I now know my time here is so wonderfully special and I spend each day marveling at the beauty instead of checking every thought and action for the possibility of offending an imaginary deity.
Buzz
So you stopped being a christian or you just don't belive in god anymore
Buzz *I'm no Christian but what it sounds like according to your post is that you read the Bible in a literal fashion without any research put in by scholars and came to the conclusion that the Bible is bullshit. Am I right?*
62 you say? Maybe Sigmund Freud was onto something...
he was "enlightened" or "awoken" people who believe in this bullshit have a veil or delusion clouding their sight. More people need to join reality.
On a more serious note: this video is once again a brilliant one. Interesting, well spoken and funny. I am so happy you are the same age as me. Knowing my generation has somebody like you to represent it, even if it remains on a relatively small scale, is absolutely delightful.
Laya's RUclips
Alex is a freakin’ good speaker, and he’ s only half my age. My kids generation **WILL** survive.....
When I grow up I wanna be like Alex.
Wait...
Right
Having teached young people for many years I can safely say that no generation surprised me so much and infected me with more hope for the future than the ones born after 1999. It feels (at least to me) as if they have regained an ethical aspriration and drive that diminished in the generations born after 1975. I am very proud of you.
@@leporello7 thank you❤️
He is incredibly expressive. Such a way with words! Not one syllable is wasted.
Damn, this kid is a natural. Gives me hope for humanity.
Without God there is no hope
@@akeem4772 nope, there is more hope without God
Thank God I'm an atheist how? in terms of the afterlife. believers have nothing to lose if their wrong. but if non believers are wrong they have everything to loose. if it's a a 50/50 chance why be on the lose lose side
@@akeem4772 ruclips.net/video/NKzqQ-IVxGs/видео.html
ruclips.net/video/RWj5kKZqKgg/видео.html
I did not know you have a sense of humour. 😂
it´s because of his earnest face
Almost feels weird why there are no such witty jokes in his normal videos.
You should watch swish
Pineapple on pizza is not a joking matter.
he needs to smile even a little bit when he says a joke
Alex, I’m impressed by your vast knowledge, eloquence and oratory. It’s really difficult, if nor impossible, to find those in someone so young. I believe you have a brilliant future ahead of you. Young people like you give us, the seniors, hope for the future. Thank you. Take care of your many gifts.
Your words touch my heart. It is true. My own girlfriend is one of those people. She is kind, loving, smart and all I could ever hope for. She is my soulmate. Nonetheless, she still holds this abhorrent belief. But I still love her and I want to get old with her, even if she likes pineapple pizza.
Sultan Laxeby 👍
Didn't know pizza is a belief!? 😉
You will be cooked in the stone oven forever if you don't trust in our Lord and saviour, the Pineapple-pizza.
funny. now turn the microscope back on yourself and question why someone's affinity for pineapple pizza perturbs you so much, bigot :)
Am I a bigot for despising the idea that putting pineapple on pizza is okay?
_wounded_
Sultan Laxeby that’s a crime
4:46 "A change in the way that we're viewing, not necessarily the bad ideas, but the people who hold them; the demonization of the people who hold them, I think, is the main problem and something that I want to change."
This says everything.
He truly is kind :)
@@a.l.michael6240 kind or pragmatic?
Lady at the end is correct. Many people consider their beliefs as their identity. Problem is that their identity is frail, weak, shallow, surface. They haven’t anything else to tell them who they are. It’s the saddest condition.
Aww he looks so grown up! *pinches cheeks*
ummm......ok
Of course, isn't he like 15 already?
saucy!
I'm not an alcoholic, I'm just fun!
he definitely needs some facial hair
Hittin' it with the good ol' dry english humour
Alex: When I was young
Me: wait wut
Same lol I am 22, very young, and this guy was 3 years younger when he talked there WTF
I’m biased toward Alex O’Conner speeches
It is no problem. But did you question this bias? What was the conclusion?
Me too
@@mikloscsuvar6097 my conclusion was 'silence brain computation
I am always trying to prove myself wrong. If all you do is try to prove yourself right, then you will never learn anything.
Woah this is amazing! Alex I've noticed you've made a lot of progress in your analytical thinking and I see you have a bright future ahead of you.
Amateur Professional
Too bright a future, actually he can't even see the audience!
Jordan Peterson is a good example of an intelligent person holding fallacious beliefs.
What kind of fallacious beliefs?
eggo
He believes you need to believe in God to be a good person and that atheists are by definition bad people.
Orange Boy he doesn’t think they are bad people. He just doesn’t believe they are true atheists. He thinks their morality is influenced by Christian ideals
Big Brother Thunder
Exactly
One of the most consequential fallacious beliefs he holds is that there is no objective truth, but only a "Darwinian truth".
He thinks that whether or not a statement, theorie or belief is true only depends on whether or not holding it increases your chances of survival.
Other than obviously being a completely ridiculous assertion, together with his idea of a dominance hierarchy it allows him to justify taking, and arguing for, any position that serves his agenda, regardless of the actual truth content of what he's saying.
I can think of a smart person who’s beliefs can sometimes be dumb: Ben Shapiro. No doubt he’s intelligent, but a lot of his views are centered around the fact that he’s part of a faith. He debates college kids who most definitely don’t know how to correctly stare their argument and he appears to be correct all of the time. But what I see in Alex that Ben lacks is his ability to be completely objective about really difficult/controversial issues. He coined the saying “facts don’t care about your feelings” but a lot of his arguments are centered around his feelings, but all of the time they’re presented as fact.
The problem is a person who seeks debate and wants their beliefs challenge would actively seek out good opponents. Shapiro does not seek out said challenges. He is nearly constantly punching down and not punching up or even punching sideways.
He does this because his little tricks are easier to use on someone who isn't skilled at debate or only has the most basic of knowledge on how to do it. Its why, when he IS invited by people who are clearly as versed, if not more versed, than him in the art of rational thinking and the debate, he usually makes excuses.
Exactly..
it's tough to beat a man with a silver tongue
Smart person???
Andrew Neil may agree with you.
Love the fact that he has such a chill no cholent tone even when making a joke
Wow, I can tell Hitchens was a major inspiration for you. The witty humor, right down to the mannerisms and intonations. Very impressive.
What do you mean?
I think his calm objectivity and good humour are even more powerful than Hitchens' speech, if a little less entertaining.
I think he's more of a Harris
..yet.
He's more like Sam Harris. A very precise speaker, same mannerisms, same low key humor.
This was incredibly insightful. I struggle when talking to hard headed members of my family and friends and this gave me a great perspective to look inward at my own ideas as well as outward at those I don't hold. I try to question everything but do hold notions that I don't criticize enough. Thank you.
This was so fascinating and I never expected to get so many nuggets of wisdom in one video. Your communication skills are excellent Alex! I'm 21 right now and hopefully I can improve my communication skills to a level like yours in the future.
Great work Alex, keep on reading and speaking!
Wish he brought the wacky cupboard
Yes, that should be one of his props.
The thing with Einstein wad that when he found his beliefs were incorrect, rather than keep believing them by faith .. he changed his mind based on the evidence. Unlike some religious people I could mention.
@@idontcare2851 Hello, my brother.
Yeah but that was before he learned about Joe Mama entanglement principles.
God’s a blackjack dealer in Atlantic City
Meanwhile there are tons of dishonest scientists among us
@@PInk77W1 And they eventually get found out when the evidence doesn't support or contradicts them. That's the advantage of science. Self correcting.
There is one big reason for all of these psychological traits that I did not hear from you: we have very limited resources to evaluate the immense flood of information that reaches us every minute. We did not evolve from computers or from a race of classical Greek philosophers, we evolved from the very slow Savanah-strolling ape who had to make life-or-death decisions on a daily basis, usually based on the flimsiest evidence.
The first proto-human scientist was the one who saw two brilliant spots in the bushes, and contrary to his group, went to the bushes to investigate, became a scientist for ten seconds and lunch in the next five. We hold to our biases and preconceptions because we follow algorithms that have evolved with us, and work frequently.
“... became a scientist for ten seconds and lunch in the next five.”
I like this.
I'm pleasantly surprised by how good this speech turned out. The humor kept it light for a very mature subject.
Also... He named dropped Aron Ra and it makes me giddy to know Alex has listened to him before.
Alex has mentioned Aron Ra in a few of his videos, I think he's a fan :)
In my high school days I was very gifted in chemistry. My life goal was to be a chemical engineer. I wanted to only take classes that supported that goal. Then as life progressed I discovered people with horrible educations about social issues and political processes and history. I never became a chemical engineer but was on a path to law school because I saw and experienced injustice. Because of medical issues law school did not happen either. I became a legal reformer. In meeting people with legal problems I found that most had no knowledge of political influences on the courts or the distinct jurisdictions of each. These people had Ideas about the law and constitutions that were absolutely wrong. So I have changed my mind about education: if you don't learn about science, government, psychology, history or law to name a few; you are not prepared for a modern society. That lack of knowledge harms the greater societal interests by the uneducated making bad political choices. We are all suffering the consequences.
I feel my IQ slowly rising listening to him
Serb Hunter Rising to what? 47??
Just remember that it isnt rising. You didn't have these ideas, you only listened to them. Watch the video a few times and really learn it, then go on to make your own opinions and really get smarter that way.
+Tyler Haley I know it's not actually "rising", there's no need to break it down as it was just a rather joke comment. But hey that's good advice you have there anyways
@@tylerhaley6301 wooooooosh
I have no idea. People who boast about their IQ are losers.
~Stephen Hawking
As a closeted ex muslim from a muslim majority country, I heard a lot of silly things my friends and my family members say all the time. When I had lunch with my friends, and and one of my friends started talking about her friend who studies biology in the same university, and that bology student reiterate one of the most overused argument against theory of evolution; if humans came from monkey, why are there still monkey? This is sad coming from a biology student and makes me wondering about what the biology lecturers would say about theory of evolution. I knew exactly how to respond to that, but we were still eating, and the topic just came out, and on top of that they still didn't know that i was an ex muslim, so supporting theory of evolution would be very suspicious.
When you talked about people who come from religious family and when they left the religion they have to choose between living a more reasonable life and preserving the relationship of family, that's exactly the position I'm in. And this is a zero-sum game, I still have yet to decide what I'm gonna do about it.
I am also a closeted ex muslim in a muslim majority, and I've heard that statement too many times. I'm not so proficient in debating, so I end up stating what I believe, and move on. Although I do say silly things as much as any other person. :/
Would your families accept you as non-teligious or would they discard you? If you don't want to you don't have to answer
@@GamingPenis Well, i've only told 3 people. My sister, who is an atheist as well, my step father, who accepts me, and my uncle who disagrees with it but also accepts me. My mother is obsessed with religion, and she has told my sister and i several times that she would rather die than us being atheists. So that about sums it up.
LordKellthe1st It’s slightly rude to say it’s a good thing. Religion helps billions of people and many love it.
@Mr Cabot no, safety is more important than honesty many times
Cosmic's suggestions:
1. imagine you're advising somebody else
2. criticize your own ideas
3. criticize other people's ideas, watch debates rather than talks
4. don't eliminate your bias, embrace it
A long way from your bedroom and the long missed drawers! , Keep up the good work Alex :)
Lol there are less productive things we could be doing on a Sunday morning 😂 yeah you're right
Ah I see you're a man of ulster too
@@samdoyle3945 Born and (bread) lol
@@samdoyle3945 good music btw I like it
@@papadoc711 Cheers mate
I had this in my 'watch later' playlist for a year and finally watched it today, and firstly, let me say I wish I watched it sooner! Very great job, 19 year old Alex!
Literally dropped every other videos the moment I see this in my recommended. Any videos of yours are guaranteed in quality!
This talk should be mandatory viewing.
Pineapple belongs on pizza fight me Alex.
gajjit I’m with you, brother!
Listen up now Alex: Hawaiian pizza was created in New Zealand by a natural evolutionary process as each generation became more discerning. (Eventually our kulture will be normalised in the Old World.) We have also added canned spaghetti with sauce to pizzas, but only as a sacrament to our saviour the Flying Spaghetti Monster.
This is the one true religion.
I find it amusing that Alex was still a meat eater at this time, it really shows the validity of what he said in this video.
PETA: People Eating Tasty Animals!
"Take away is this. You are no Einstein." Love it!
You once said hello to me on your livestream. I have a feeling that might be my claim to fame one day. You're an absolute natural at this and I feel so proud of you. (I hope that doesn't sound too patronising)
We need more people like Alex.
I was in college with my new roommate and soon to be friend the topic of religion came up. I at the time was a devout Christian, my roommate was also brought up in a Christian household, eventually we came to the topic of how the universe was created and I said, "of course God" with absolute assurance. My friend who also pretty much believed the same thing, simply asked "If God created the world, where did God come from?" That simple idea had never entered into my mind. That was the beginning of my path towards becoming an atheist, which was not completed until years later as I tried to resolve that question. Important part of my story is that it is critical to be willing to examine our deeply held beliefs. Great talk, thank you.
I am curious as to how a devout Christian could have missed the most fundamental understanding that God is not created, does not exist in time or space, and has no beginning, and no end. What did God tell Moses when he asked, "who shall I say sent me?" God's reply..."tell them I AM sent you." What did Jesus tell the Jews when they questioned his relationship with Abraham? “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.”
Watching alex go places by time is just like watching your own brother do good things in life. its satisfyingly lovely to watch.
Didn't know you are such a good live speaker. Your speech is really well executed, even though jet lags and other issues.
It's wonderful to hear one so erudite and so clear of thought at such a young end.
The world is a better place for you in it, young man. Thank you.
YT is amazing just for the fact that I can receive this lecture in my recommendations 4 years after it happened. Before YT exsitsted I would have never known it happened and wouldn't have gained the insight it gave me. This applies to probably hundreds of thousands if not millions of ideas
Congratulations on giving this talk, Alex! Well done with regards to both content and delivery!
I hope you managed to get into the university that you wanted.
Thank you for all that I have learnt from you and good luck for all your future endeavours!
Wow such a brilliant young man !!! We need more like minded folk like you!
"Don't try to remove your bias. Because you can't."
"It is infinitely more productive to be openly biased than to be deceptively neutral."
I smile every time when Alex says "when I was young"
I'm 62, adequately smart, yet I look back at myself at 19 years old and could no more articulate myself like Alex than flap my arms and fly. I couldn't do it now. He's an incredible intellect.
David. possibly programmed by the state I know I had very little confidence and certainly the system did not encourage free thinking.
How I loved to have a nice hot pizza, made with the brains of an intellect.
i can’t believe he’s only 19 in this!
Listening to a debate rather than a talk is some great advice I hadn't considered. Such an easy and intuitive improvement.
If you continue down this path, I can see you joining the ranks of the greatest thinkers of our time. Congrats on how far you’ve come and I’m honoured to be tagging along for this journey.
I feel proud of you haha!
its more silly to believe the 9/11 commission report,and that a building can freefall into its own footprint just from burning furnishings and was never hit by one of the exploding planes.
Brilliant and funny! What an honor to be able to witness your growth as a thinker, it is very vicarious but at the same time makes me wish I can make it otherwise, which is the best form of a speech
A comfortable lie is almost always preferable to an uncomfortable truth.
Just thinking aloud here but Alex I can one day see you being the next Hitchens, you make it all look so effortless and natural just like he did.
Just hoping he doesn't get drunk before his speeches.
Pineapple is pronounced Pi-napoli in Latin.
Pi= circles
Napoli is the home of pizza.
Ham is a lump of meat from a simple creature.
Alex O'Connor:
32:21: "the 4th and MOST important thing....
My advice would be this: don't eliminate your bias. Try as you may you can't do it! People have tried and in fact if you think that you've eliminated your bias you're probably the most biased person that anyone could hope to meet!"
34:16 "You're perfectly capable of recognizing your bias rather than trying to eliminate it!"
37:17 "Of course the problem is, if you have a bias, it's very difficult to recognize it and once you recognize the bias you probably don't hold it anymore."
130 people didn't enjoy being made to feel stupid by this talk.
However, I myself thoroughly enjoyed it!
I call it humility. To know I myself cannot be holding all the highest good ideas. Some of my ideas must be fallacious. What they are seems to be why were here. Were searching to find how intelligent people can be dupped. And by themselves.
So might is right?
@@SpicyTexan64 3ys old thread so you'll have to clarify what you're responding to and what you mean.
The power of him cracking jokes with a poker face is so uncanny...
Alex: well I'm here today to talk abou...
Audience: HAHAHAHA
When I hear about education, my mind goes to schooling, even though it shouldn't. But surely we can find other ways to educate or, rather, inform children and young adults about science other than imprisoning them in a classroom.
Fantastic talk, although it is not the first time I heard about all of the thing you talk about I still find it really fascinating as you put it in a one coherent manner and combine them together to make a great point.
19 years old me was still struggling learning all of these things, let alone piecing them together and talk in front of an educated crowd.
A similar bit on being manipulated:
Even if you have been manipulated before doesn’t mean you can’t be manipulated again.
It’s impossible to claim that you are void of or immune to error. Humans are fallible, and it’s a delicate balance of confidence. Confidence in yourself and confidence in others.
People like Alex O'Connor are the future in logical thinking along with his friend Stephen Woodford and A-theistic thinking..hugely intelligent at such a young age, i just wish i had the brains he has, at any age..cool guy and Stephen is as well.
This was a brilliant speech. I really admire your public speaking, and intellectual abilities. I'm curious to see where you'll be in a few years, and I'm sure there's a bright future ahead of you.
If you go around "brutally criticising bad ideas" then it will only hurt more when you eventually realise you're wrong
What a gift to all of humanity is Alex
O Connor.
You’re a g, this is one of the most important conversations on RUclips thank you
A situation I'm sure comes up quite often, and could account for a lot of silly beliefs: Someone you hold in esteem believes something, so you assume he must be right. Why would he steer you wrong? No, he must be right. I just don't understand everything right yet. This can be really painful, especially as it often happens when you're very young.
And of course all the more so if you’re entire community and culture reinforces that
There's definitely quite a lot of Hitchens-inspiration here, the way Alex talks, the structure and sound of the sentences etc.
When we understand our beliefs are myths, skepticism will become our default. Observing yourself without judgment begets, freedom. The separation from belief is enlightening.
I wanted to be smart, but then I got high...
LMAO
How do people dislike an amazing thing like this one? Alex, you are so brilliant man, as someone nearly your age, this is so inspiring and gets me motivated enough to put my brain out there, read, listen, interact and learn about the world. I can see the great work of the late Hitchens continuing, keep it up Alex, you are a true inspiration.
I have disowned almost all of my relatives because I was abused as a child by some while others allowed it to happen. I have aunts and uncles who knew I was being molested but did nothing to stop it.
Einstein's Cosmological Constant wow I haven't heard anyone talk about this forever. I appreciate so much seeing such sparking intelligence in such a young man. It certainly gives me a lot of hope for the future.
My experiences have taught me that people believe in and promote "bad ideas" if the said ideas are "bad" for others but not for themselves.
If Alex ever decides to start a cult, I'm all in
Lol, underrated comment
Hahaha.
The idea that it may be more compassionate to leave some people in their delusions runs counter to the idea that the truth will set you free.
LMAO , it Happened to me (in the near future 😂😂)
My mother threatened to abandon me if I left my religion (Islam) & I've never seen her that determined on something '-'
Ofc i don't care about that because I've never liked her narcissistic behaviours 😀
Only a narcissist and fool would dump on their own mother for the sake of RUclips likes. Sounds like an ungrateful brat. I feel bad for your mother.
jane Patton wtf are you on? She made this comment because other people go through it and it provides solace to know that you aren’t alone with an experience. Your just an asshole who sympathizes with child abusers
@@janepatton8100 you sound like a fucking moron
Believing that private property can host a democracy, refusing to acknowledge the obvious tyranny in a bad toupe, is typical for even the smartest ... if they should wish to be employed.
19 years old and already carrying such an intellect, able to construct such beautiful lines and a great sense of humor
Because he was educated in the UK not the USA.
Atheism is a bad idea.
@@elsagrace3893 Why do you randomly shittalk the US?
@@smegmalasagna because only the USA considers being educated an insult.
@@AnnhilateTheNihilist What do you mean by that?
“It is infinitely more productive to be openly biased than deceptively neutral” - Great insight
Who knew that you were so smart and funny too.
And he can sing??
Years ago I was lead to believe that to practice Nichiren’s Buddhism correctly, one had to attend meetings and belong to an organisation. Nowadays I’ve come to understand that anyone, regardless of whether they become a ‘member’ of a group or not, can benefit from their own personal practice.
The reason for this is that the Law myoho-renge-kyo represents the identity of what some scientists refer to as the ‘unified field of all consciousnesses’. In other words, it’s a sound vibration that is the essence of all of existence and non-existence, the ultimate creative force behind planets, stars, nebulae, people, animals, trees, fish, birds, and all phenomena, manifest or latent. All matter and intelligence are simply waves or ripples manifesting to and from this core source. Consciousness (enlightenment) is itself the true creator of everything that is, ever was and ever will be, right down to the minutest particles of dust, each being an individual ripple or wave. The big difference between chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo and most other conventional prayers is that instead of depending on a ‘middleman’ to connect us to our state of enlightenment, we’re able to do it ourselves by tapping directly into it by way of self-produced sound vibration.
On the subject of ‘Who or What Is God?’, when we compare the concept of ‘God’, as a separate entity that is forever watching down on us, to Nichiren’s teachings, the true omnipotence, omniscience and omnipresence of what most people call ‘God’ is our enlightenment, which exists nowhere else but within us.
When the disciples asked Jesus where the Kingdom of God is, didn’t he tell them that it was within them?
Some say that ‘God’ is an entity that can never be seen. I think that the vast amount of information that is constantly being conveyed via electromagnetic waves gives us proof of how an invisible state of ‘God’ could actually exist. It’s widely known that certain data being relayed by way of electromagnetic waves has the potential to help bring about extraordinary and powerful effects, including instant global awareness of something or mass emotional reaction. As well as many other things, it’s also common knowledge that these waves can easily be used to detonate a bomb or to even enable NASA to control the movements of a robot as far away as the Moon or Mars. However, none of this is possible without a receiver to decode the information that is being transmitted. Without the receiver, the information would remain impotent.
In a very similar way, it’s important for us to have our ‘receiver’ switched on so that we can activate a clear and precise understanding of our life, all other life and what we and all else that exists truly is. Chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo helps us to achieve this because it allows us to reach into the core of our enlightenment and switch it on. That’s because the sound vibration of ‘myoho-renge-kyo’ represents the combination of the three major laws that underlie all existence.
‘Myoho’ represents the Law of latency and manifestation (Nature), and consists of two alternating states. One state of ‘myo’ is where everything in life that’s not obvious to us exists. This includes our stored memories when we’re not thinking about them, our hidden potential and inner emotions whenever they’re not being expressed, our desires, our fears, our wisdom, happiness, karma, and more importantly, our enlightenment. The other state, ‘ho’, is where everything in Life exists whenever it becomes obvious to us, such as when a thought pops up from within our memory, whenever we experience or express our emotions, or whenever a good or bad effect manifests from our karma. When anything becomes apparent, it simply means that it has come out of the state of ‘myo’ (dormancy/latency) and into a state of ‘ho’ (manifestation). It’s simply the difference between consciousness and unconsciousness, being awake or asleep, or knowing and not knowing something.
The second law, ‘renge’, governs and controls the functions of ‘myoho’, ‘ren’ meaning cause and ‘ge’ meaning effect. The two laws of ‘myoho’ and ‘renge’, both functions together simultaneously, as well as underlies all spiritual and physical existence.
The final and third part of the tri-combination, ‘kyo’, is what allows the law ‘myoho’ to be able to integrate with the law ‘renge’. It’s the great, invisible thread of energy that fuses and connects together all Life and matter, as well as the past, present and future. It is often termed the Universal Law of Communication. Perhaps it could even be compared to the ‘string theory’ that some scientists now suspect exists.
Just as our body cells, thoughts, feelings and all else are constantly fluctuating within us, everything in the world around us and beyond is also in a constant state of flux, in accordance with these three laws. In fact, more things are going back and forth between the two states of ‘myo’ and ‘ho’ in a single moment than it would ever be possible for us to calculate or describe. And it doesn't matter how big or small, important or trivial that anything may appear to be, everything that’s ever existed in the past, exists now, or will exist in the future, exists only because of the workings of 'myoho-renge-kyo'.
These three laws are also the basis of the four fundamental forces and if they didn't function, neither we nor anything else could go on existing. Simply put, all forms of existence, including the seasons, day and night, birth, death and so on, are all moving forward in an ongoing flow of continuation, rhythmically reverting back and forth between the two universal states of ‘myo’ and ‘ho’ in absolute accordance with ‘renge’ and by way of ‘kyo’. Even stars are dying and being reborn in accordance with the workings of what the combination ‘myoho-renge-kyo’ represents.
‘Nam’, or 'Namu', on the other hand, is a password or a key; it allows us to reach deep into our life and fuse with or become one with ‘myoho-renge-kyo’. On a more personal basis, nothing ever happens by chance or coincidence, it’s the causes that we’ve made in our past, or are presently making, that determine how these laws function uniquely in each of our lives from moment to moment, as well in our environment. By facing east, in harmony with the direction that the Earth is turning, and rhythmically chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo for a minimum of ten minutes daily, anyone can experience actual proof of its positive effects in their life.
In so doing, we can pierce through even the thickest layers of our karma and activate our Buddha Nature (enlightened state). We’re then able to bring forth the wisdom needed to challenge, overcome and change our negative circumstances into positive ones. It brings forth the wisdom that can free us from the ignorance and stupidity that is preventing us from accepting and being proud of the person that we truly are, regardless of our race, colour, gender or sexual preference. We are also able to see and understand our circumstances and environment more clearly, as well as attract and connect with any needed external beneficial forces and situations.
Actual proof soon becomes apparent to anyone who chants the words Nam-myoho-renge-kyo on a regular daily basis. Everything is subject to the law of Cause and Effect, so the strength of the result from chanting depends on dedication, sincerity and determination. To explain it more simply, the difference could be compared to making a sound on a piano, creating a melody, or producing a song and so on.
NB: There are frightening, disturbing sounds and there are tranquil and relaxing sounds. It's the emotional result from any sound that can trigger off a mood or even instantly change one. When chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo each day you are producing a sound vibration that is the password to your true inner-self - this soon becomes apparent when you start reassessing your views on various things, such as your fears and desires etc. The important way to get the best result when chanting is not to see things in a conventional way (it's not easy to achieve this), rather than reaching out to an external source, you need to reach into your own life and bring your needs and desires to fruition from within, including any help that you may need. Think of it as a seed within you that you are bringing sunshine and water to in order for it to grow and blossom. It’s so important to understand that everything that we need in life, all the answers and potential to achieve our dreams, already exist within us.
ruclips.net/video/6CZ0XJqWRr4/видео.html OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN sings about Nam-myoho-renge-kyo
ruclips.net/video/Ix1QXWBVPEk/видео.html BOY GEORGE sings about Nam-myoho-renge-kyo
Great job Alex. Hopefully you continue doing these public speaking events. You have a gift for it. I do have a question about the part of recognizing your biases. I would think a bias, being they are generally preconceived or unreasoned would be seen in the same way a "bad idea" would be. Like you say here in this video, you don't generally hold on to bad ideas once you recognize they are indeed bad ideas. So if you recognize that you have a bias, wouldn't you take steps to getting rid of such biases? Or more importantly, wouldn't it be extremely difficult to even realize that the bias you hold is that, a bias?
Who says a bias has to be a bad ideal, you could have a bias for the truth, a life without any bias is like a plastic bag in the wind. the trick is not to avoid making assumptions but rather to question our assumptions.
@@dionysusnow I don't know that it has to be a bad concept, but generally speaking, it almost always is. Which is pretty much what I said in my initial comment. If you look up the synonyms for BIAS, like 75% of the words are negative in nature.
It's a pleasure to the ears listening to this man. Great talk.
You should view the bible or the quaran simply as fantasy books when you read them. And also deal with them the same way you would deal with the lord of the rings.
@@nelavlasakova331 is this a joke or are you actually angry.
@@tjfree04 I think he is being absolutely dead serious.
@@nelavlasakova331 same
No. You should consider them philosophical works. Moral codes to evaluate and consider. Despite the issues and obvious fallacies, there are still good messages and you should find the good in bad works. Don’t think of it like LoTR, but like Beyond Good and Evil or The Republic.
@@tjfree04 What else do you assume a story collection to be in which someone turns water into wine to produce more drunks? Why would you assume something as anything but fantasy when graves open and these dead people walk the streets of Jerusalem? These people have been dead decades or even hundreds of years. So how can one imagine it to be anything but fantasy?
The power of friendship is not stupid!
Friendship has no power.
god with a lowercase g it does have power!
are you ok man?
god with a lowercase g tell that to Hiro mashima
Who is Hiro mashima?
Alex O'connor, a most honest intellectual. I really enjoy his critiques on religion and reason.
👍
I used to be a Christian (I stopped being one after 2 years of doubt) and this talk is so spot on. Alex, you basically summed up what was going through my mind as I deconverted.
Wow that was bad, as in really bad. Coming from a guy well schooled in fallacies. He groups 9/11 deniers with flat earth believers?
Also coming from a guy that rightfully go against the Bible for lack of evidence and seems not to bother to look into the evidence pointing 9/11 as an inside job.
He is the best example of his own speech. First I facepalmed then I just laughed at the irony.
Unless this was done on purpose, which will pose some serious credibility issues.
Is 9/11 a inside job,evidence?
Why are so sure about your believe
*Also coming from a guy that rightfully go against the Bible for lack of evidence and seems not to bother to look into the evidence pointing 9/11 as an inside job.
*
What evidence?
@@puckry9686 watch the documentary called 9/11 the dancing Israelis 👌🏻
Physics denies what we believe happened that day. Free fall building cannot collapse without assisted demolition practices.
"Why Smart People Believe Silly Things"
1. Find something a smart person believes.
2. Define it as "silly".
"I'm from New Jersey"
Even people from New Jersey don't admit to this.