Cognitive Dissonance is the psychological tension that occurs when holding two contradictory beliefs simultaneously such as loving cows, but also loving hamburgers. The discomfort experienced when holding two incompatible cognitions isn’t necessarily a bad thing, and in fact can act as a catalyst prompting positive changes. It becomes problematic, however, when people experiencing cognitive dissonance instead display denial, angst, anger, incredulity, or exasperation. Those suffering from crippling cognitive dissonance will often blame other people or outside factors, avoid certain subjects, and rationalize poor decisions. The psychological tension of cognitive dissonance can be relieved though, once the seemingly contradictory cognitions find a way to sensibly co-exist. If you love cows but also love hamburgers, for example, you might try cutting down your consumption, or switch to some of the many vegan hamburger options.

Aristotle said, “Nothing is more challenging than the ability to study, debate, and think through a concept without immediately accepting or rejecting it. It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it,” and F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote that, “The truest sign of intelligence is the ability to entertain two contradictory ideas simultaneously.” In other words, the ability to ponder opposite ideas without experiencing crippling cognitive dissonance, is the mark of a balanced mind. The capacity to consider contradictory cognitions without immediately accepting or rejecting one of them, is one of the surest signs of intelligence. Every issue has at least two sides, often three or more, and if you have only researched or thought about one side of a subject without ever giving due diligence to differing perspectives, that is nothing but willful ignorance. Those who are able to refrain from judgement long enough to genuinely research and weigh the evidence from all sides of a given issue are the most likely to arrive at truth.

For a truly insightful, concrete case-study in cognitive dissonance, I recommend delving deep into the subject of cosmology. Consider this: We have been taught that we live on a giant sphere floating in space, tilting on its vertical axis, wobbling through a precession, and spinning through the seasons. This spinning ball Earth reaches speeds of over 1,000 miles per hour at the equator and causes an optical illusion of the Sun, Moon and stars revolving over and around us. The spinning ball Earth also revolves 67,000 miles per hour around the Sun, while the whole solar system spirals 500,000 miles per hour through the Milky Way, and the entire Milky Way galaxy shoots off millions of more miles per hour from a creationary explosion 14.7 billion years ago. These astronomical assumptions are taught as gospel truths while differing perspectives are not only not considered, they are condemned. And as Einstein said, “Condemnation without investigation is the height of ignorance.”

So, let’s attempt an investigation without condemnation, denial or ridicule, and try to examine a different perspective – your own common sense every day experience of the world...

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