In recent articles, I have explained the process of mental growth. It told us that our mental confusion is natural and unavoidable in the process of developing rational judgment ability. Let’s look at its overall picture today.
Why we struggle with our minds
Sometimes, we want to know why we often struggle with our minds.
Although we can guess that our unique individuality—empathy and logical sense—causes the problems, we don’t know the reason.
That is why we want to see the overall picture of our mental work.
Today, I will introduce one perspective on why we tend to have mental confusion. This perspective might help you solve your inner problems and decide rationally.
Empathy and logical sense
If we are empathic and logical, we have two distinct mental functions: empathy and logical sense. Empathy enables us to feel others’ emotions, while logical sense allows us to deduce and judge logically.
Each has its unique purpose. Empathy is to help weak people in society, while logical ability is to predict and change things more efficiently.
If we have a naturally intense logical sense, we can perceive things only through reason. In other words, we cannot change our behaviors without it.
For example, suppose there is a mountain with abundant wild edible vegetables. We want to harvest them. However, someone told us not to enter the mountain. The reason was that there were terrifying mountain bandits. It makes sense. That allows us to follow that teaching and change our attitudes.
Logical breakdowns in society
However, if the logic is irrational, we cannot accept it. For example, assume the reason we could not enter the mountain was that it was a fine day. There was no further reason. For another example, the person who advised us frequently went into that mountain casually, even on sunny days. His behavior and words are inconsistent.
If we argued back, the advisor would become angry and force us to obey him. It is unreasonable. Assume we are in a weaker position than him and have no choice but to comply.
In this case, we will be angry at the advisor and confused about the reason.
Then, one advisor tells us we must stay home while another forces us to leave. There is no consistency. Since we are the weakest in the community, we have no choice but to obey. However, there is no other way that satisfies all of the others’ claims.
It is natural for us to harbor hostility toward society. If our anger is directed at society, we will try to attack society indiscriminately. If it is directed at ourselves, we will punish our incompetence and helplessness. Either way, logical contradictions and confusion torment us.
Recognizing the contradictions
The world is full of such contradictions. Since empathy denies competition, it often makes us confused about the competitive fields.
For example, politicians work only for their own power base while claiming to serve the whole nation. Peace advocates are threatening other forces with the group’s power and sanctions. At the Olympic Games, a festival of peace, athletes take pleasure in knocking down their opponents. Our surroundings claim that we should not trouble them, although that is making us trouble. Their words and behaviors are inconsistent.
It is natural for us to come to believe that all people are liars, especially when we only follow the mass media. We can only recognize through solid logic, so we are vulnerable to contradictions.
Many contradictions abandon weak people. That stimulates our emotions, especially when we are the weakest in society.
That is why we need to develop our philosophy based on rationality. It provides consistency in those contradictions.
We need a broader perspective that includes people’s competitive minds and their inconsistencies. Since less logical people lie to satisfy themselves, we have to see through it.
When we become able to verbalize and express that contradiction, we can decide rationally. That is the time we are freed from the inferiority complex.
Conclusion
That is my perspective on why we tend to have mental confusion.
If we have logical sense, we are vulnerable to contradictions.
We need to develop our philosophy based on rationality. It provides consistency amid the contradictions in society.
This perspective might help you solve your inner problems and decide rationally.
Thank you for reading this article. I hope to see you in the next one.
