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I don't think the story of all of our mayhem and unnecessary suffering has much to do with bad people doing bad things, I think, for the most part, it's good people, or at least normal people under the influence of bad ideas. These ideas were communicated by people and acted upon on the basis of concepts. It's a set of arguments, it's a rehearsal of history and expectations about the future. And if you're rational, those reasons can be explained. If your beliefs are not falsifiable, if there's no scenario that could convince you that your most cherished opinions are in error, well then, that's proof that you didn't get them by being in contact with reality.

Let's follow Sam...

I don't think the story of / all of our mayhem // and unnecessary suffering // has much to do with bad people doing bad things, / I think, for the most part, / it's good people, or at least normal people / under the influence of bad ideas. // These ideas were communicated // by people // and acted upon // on the basis of / concepts. / It's a set of arguments, / it's a rehearsal of history and expectations about the future. And if you're rational, // those reasons can be explained. / If your beliefs are not falsifiable, / if there's no scenario / that could convince you that your / most cherished opinions are / in error, / well then, / that's proof / that you didn't get them by being in contact with reality.

Let's read...

If most of human misery and inequality and conflict and violence is a matter of the stories that people are telling themselves, then you see that virtually all of human suffering and chaos is just tissue thin, I mean, it's a bad dream. It's just thoughts that people are finding compelling and they could cease to find those thoughts compelling. So the consequence of all of that is that it really matters what you believe. It certainly matters what millions and billions of us believe in any given moment, because it's our beliefs that will dictate what we do next.

Let's follow Sam...

If most of // human misery // and inequality and conflict / and violence is a matter of the stories that people are telling themselves, / then you see that virtually all of human suffering / and chaos is just tissue thin, // I mean, it's a bad dream. // It's just thoughts / that people are finding compelling / and they could cease to find those thoughts / compelling. So the consequence of all of that is that it really matters / what you believe. // It certainly matters / what millions and billions of us believe in any given moment, / because it's our beliefs that will / dictate what we do next.