Important discovery

Once upon a time there was a doctor called Ignaz Semmelweis. Ignaz was a clever fellow with an enquiring mind. He asked questions and after some time his methodical methods made an important discovery. He teaches us that it’s ok to question what is going on, in fact it may be essential.

What he figured out is benefiting all of us today. You can learn more about his story in this video.

Have you been washing your hands with soap and water recently?

Do you believe it is a helpful thing to do?

If your answers are yes then give thanks to Ignaz and heed his story.  He along with others, over a 20-30 year period, tried to tell fellow medics about the importance of hand washing. It largely fell on deaf ears. This, is so often the case.

Innovators and inventors

History is littered with innovators and inventors who made incredible discoveries.  However, during their lifetimes many of them sadly experienced ridicule, rejection and derision. 

They overturned ideas, demolished theories and made the seemingly impossible a reality.  Despite alienation, humiliation and the indignity of being treated like lunatics they found the courage to carry on.

Questions

Some people agree with the current approach and wholeheartedly embrace all the guidelines set by the Government and their “expert” advisors.

Others are questioning what is going on, raising concerns about many of the potential issues related to the pandemic.

• Have we been treating the sick correctly?
• Is the test reliable?
• What does 5G have to do with it?
• Does the virus even exist?
• What are exosomes, are they important?
• Was the virus enhanced in a bio lab?
• Are the statistics correct?
• Should we include deaths with or only deaths from?
• Are vaccines safe?
• Should they be mandated?
• Why was the care sector neglected?
• Was Boris really ill?
• Have Koch’s Postulates been applied?
• What have Bill Gates and his foundation got to do with it?
• Are they planning to vaccinate the world with micro-chip tracking devices?
• Are the “experts” conflicts of interest worth investigating?
• Does it influence the advice they give the Government?

 I don’t know what the truth is. Do you?

Theories

It is all based on theories, theories about what individual people, institutions, political systems, medical experts, statisticians,  and anyone one else expounding truths, or with agendas, BELIEVE. There are no certainties. We are living in new territory, a global pandemic unlike any other.

Theories are ideas, suggestions and proposals about what might be, what could work, what may happen. They are not facts. Theories are based on beliefs and beliefs can change. Look what happened to Ignaz. What we believe today may change tomorrow, nothing is set in stone.

“The great tragedy of science – the slaying of a beautiful hypothesis by an ugly fact.” Thomas Huxley

Belief systems

We all operate from a belief system  These arise from the environment we are brought up in and the experiences we encounter. Family norms, religions, education systems, community and societal expectations, political regimes, stories, myths and sagas, our work, passions, hobbies and interests all contribute to the formation of our belief system. It becomes the template for the we navigate our way through life.

In addition we may also experience traumas and intense emotional events which create particularly strong beliefs about ourselves and the world. These are not always helpful but nonetheless this becomes the lens through which we interpret the world.

Wanting to feel safe

In times of trauma and threat we humans (animals in general actually) will cling to what we believe in an attempt to feel safe. We revert to patterns and behaviours and rely on beliefs which helped us survive in the past. For example,

• If, to feel safe, we need to believe what “authority” figures tell us, we will lean into that. We want them to take charge, to make decisions and to tell us what to do.
• If, in order to feel safe we try to stay out of trouble we may become ardent law abiders, no matter the rule.  We keep our heads down and just get on with it.
• If however our safety depends on everyone doing as they are told we may be motivated to “tell” on those who are dissenting or to condemn those who question.
• Finally, if our experience of authority figures was not one of stability and safety we may find ourselves questioning what is going on. We may query their decisions and want to know more before we agree to anything.

No right and no wrong

Neither is right, neither is wrong, though it seems we will fight about that till the cows come home.  What we are witnessing is a clashing of belief systems. In other words the differences of opinion and tensions we see, arise from a need to feel safe.

Just like poor Ignaz found, challenging the norm is risky and often gets you into trouble. It shakes the foundations upon which others build their safe view of the world.

Clinging to belief

Right now clinging to what we believe makes sense. We are experiencing a global trauma so of course we gravitate to what helps us feel safe and secure. Questioning what is going on in an emergency feels scary to many people. 

As fear builds so does division. Labels appear condemning people for their views. Narratives develop to shut down dissenters. Derogatory dehumanising terms start. Erring from the mainstream becomes conspiracy, you are mentally unstable or putting people at risk and eventually need to be strangled by censorship or worse.

All this and more has happened before and it is happening now.

It’s doing “ma heid in” as we say in Scotland.

If only we could:

• Extend some compassion and understanding to people with differing ideas.
• Recognise that our ideas are based on a belief system that developed to keep us safe. It does not make things fact or truth.
• Learn from the story of Ignaz Semmelweis.
• Remember, history shows us that, those suggesting what seem like outlandish and radical ideas may in fact hold vital life changing information for us all.

Are you questioning what is going on?

What are your questions?

Have you encountered resistance to your enquiries?